A Love Denied
by Rowan and Sakura
Summary: When Yuugi's alter ego aquires a body of his own,Jou falls head over heels in love with him.But it seems as if Anzu might have gotten him first.YYJ shounenai.Please R&R! Chap. 10 up! YamiAnzu getting married! What'll Jou do? ON PERMENANT HIATUS
1. Fatal Fall

Rowan: Eee! A Jou*Yami fic! 

Sakura: You're pairing the mutt with my prince?

Rowan: Better than Yami and Anzu though, right? And don't call him 'mutt.' Only Seto calls him that.

Sakura: True, it is better than Anzu.

Rowan: Oh, but I just remembered…On second thought Sakura, you probably won't like this fic.

Sakura: Oh no, you're gonna have Anzu date Yami, aren't you?

Rowan: Hehehe…

Sakura: Eep! You are! I'm outta here!

Rowan: Er, riight…

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. 

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 1: Fatal Fall

----

It was a beautiful spring morning as Jounouchi Katsuya walked to the game shop where he was to meet his friends. Flowers were blooming, trees were blossoming, and love was in the air. Little did Jou know that he was soon to be under that spell, the curse and blessing of all who have ever loved or been loved before.

Jou walked into the store where Motou Yuugi was waiting for him. "You're early Jou," he said.

"No I'm not! I'm right on time!" And Jou was, for the clock had just struck ten o'clock.

"I know. But the others will be late, so technically you're early."

Jou sat down on the stool behind the counter and sighed. He still couldn't quite get used to the way Yuugi could know the future before it had even occurred. Yuugi had been doing that ever since he had received the Millenium Tauk from Isis during Battle City.

Yuugi smiled up at his friend's troubled face. "I'm glad you got here first, for there's someone I want you to meet!" Yuugi grabbed Jou's hand and pulled him into the living room where Jou's eyes met brilliant ruby ones. Jou's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the beauty before him. Such grace, such power, such regality Jou had never seen. Jou felt his heart turn over in his chest.

"Well, actually, you've met before, but when we used to share a body. Jou, this is Yami."

Yami smiled, a cool, confident smile. "Hi Jou! Isn't it great? Yuugi and I finally have separate bodies!"

Jou managed a weak smile. "Y-yes. Th-that's wonderful Yami, Yuugi. E-excuse me, but I have to sit down."

Jou collapsed on the couch as his knees buckled beneath him. Yuugi glanced over at his friend, concerned. "Jou? Are you all right? Can I get you some water?"

"I'm fine. I just, um, skipped breakfast is all."

"Would you like something to eat?" Yuugi offered.

"No, don't trouble yourself. I'll be fine, really." 'If I could only stop those butterflies in my stomach,' he added silently.

Yami walked over to sit next to Jou. "You sure you're alright Jou?"

Jou nodded, avoiding Yami's eyes and feeling a faint blush color his cheeks as he realized just how close Yami was sitting next to him.

"Y-yes. Perfectly n-normal, thanks."

Just then, the door to the shop opened and Anzu and Honda, followed closely by Ryou, came in. Next to the white haired teen stood a stranger wearing a hood. Yuugi ushered them all into the living room.

"Guys, guess what? Yami got his own body today!" Yuugi announced cheerfully.

Ryou smiled. "That's excellent! Same with Bakura and I!" he said, gesturing to the stranger, who removed his hood and revealed long white tresses of white and a scowl.

"I wonder what it all means?" Yuugi mused.

"Well, shouldn't we be going?" Honda inquired. "The movie starts in half an hour."

"Sure, let's!" Yuugi said, walking to the door.

Yami stood up and offered Jou his hand. "Need help up?" he asked.

"Uh, thanks Yami," Jou said, slipping his hand into the other's and standing up shakily. Yami flashed a brilliant smile at the blonde, making him melt inside. Then they turned and followed the others.

~*~~*~

The movie they were watching had been Honda's choice, and Jou knew immediately that he would be closing his eyes a lot. Honda always went for the horror films and today he had picked "28 Days Later" (I heard it was mad scary, but I didn't see it, so I won't give any details about what's happening on the screen.) Jou made sure to sit next to Yuugi, as he knew his friend would need something to hide his face on if anything got too gruesome, and he seemed to favor Jou's shoulder over anything else. Also, it was comforting for Jou to know he wasn't the only one scared.

As all seven of them filed into the theater and took their seats, Jou found himself sitting between the twin spiky-haired teens, Yuugi on his left and Yami, confident, unshakable Yami, on his right. On the other side of Yami sat Anzu, while to Yuugi's left were Ryou, Bakura, and Honda.

The film started soon after their arrival, and Jou soon felt Yuugi's head on his shoulder. Jou didn't blame him, he too was terrified. So terrified that his popcorn sat in his lap, utterly forgotten. Not that Jou could've eaten it anyway, what with Yami next to him. 

At one particularly gruesome part, Jou turned his head away and his eyes landed on Yami's shoulder. How he would just love to bury his head there, just like Yuugi was hiding his face on Jou's shoulder. Yami, sensing Jou's fear, turned and glanced at him, smiling reassuringly. Jou felt something squeeze his hand, and, looking down, found it to be the Pharaoh's hand. Jou felt shivers run down his spine at the contact. He smiled shakily back at Yami.

Jou was very much relieved when the movie ended. "That movie was very scary, huh Yuugi?"

Yuugi nodded. "Oh yeah."

"That movie was da bomb!" exclaimed Honda.

Anzu was shaking like a leaf. "Oh dear, I think I've been scarred for life! I just know I'll be having nightmares for at least a month!"

Yami hugged Anzu reassuringly. "I'm sure you won't have nightmares for that long. Besides, it's just a movie. It's not real."

Jou felt himself flare up inside when he saw Yami comforting Anzu and almost boiled over when he saw Anzu kiss him on the cheek, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. 'He's mine, Goddammit!' he thought in frustration. 'Wait, mine? Who are you kidding Katsuya? He's not yours. He probably will never be yours. So get over this jealousy. It'll do you no good.'

Jou knew his conscience was right. Yami wasn't 'his.' Whatever provoked such an idea? Jou sighed inwardly. 'Why did I have to fall for Yami?' he thought in despair.

"Jou? Jou! Earth to Jou!" Yuugi said worriedly.

"Eh? What? Yes Yuugi?"

"You were spacing out on us. Ryou just asked where we should go for lunch," Yuugi informed his blonde friend.

"Oh, um, any where's good."

"Oh, I know this really nice café` down the street!" Anzu suggested.

"Sounds good!"

"Lead on Anzu!" 

Anzu smiled and slipped her arm around Yami's. "I hope you don't mind escorting me Yami," she said.

"Not at all Anzu," he replied. Anzu beamed and started walking down the street, leading the others.

Jou watched as they started walking away. He was glaring at Anzu's arm, his insides writhing in fury. 'Oh Kami-sama, I've got it bad.'

Yuugi was skipping happily down the street when he realized Jou was still standing in front of the cinema. "Jou, c'mon!" he called. Jou blinked and ran to catch up. Jou smiled down at his friend to assuage his fears, but he felt far from happy. 

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: Seemed like a good place to end that chapter. So, what do you think?

Silence.

Rowan: Nobody's here? Oh, I feel so lonely!

Door swings open.

Rowan: Is somebody there?

Nothing.

Rowan: Just the wind. Phooey.

Mouse walks in.

Rowan: Oh, company!

Scoops mouse up.

Mouse: Excuse, but I'm no ordinary mouse! I'm a mailmouse!

Rowan: What brings you here, mailmouse?

Mailmouse: I have mail for you!

Rowan: Reviews?

Mailmouse: No, a letter. Here you go!

Mailmouse hands letter to Rowan, then hops down and scurries away.

Rowan: Oo, mail. Let's find out what it says:

Letter: Rowan, how could you? How _dare_ you put Yami and Anzu together? I will never forgive you for even thinking about doing that. So, you will no longer see me. Good luck finding another yami. Sincerely, Sakura.

Rowan: Oh, how sad! The only thing sadder would be if I didn't get any reviews for this! 


	2. Thorough Thoughts

Rowan: Well, I found company! Siran, my muse, will help me with my fic!

Siran: Hi everyone!

Rowan: Thanks to Escachick, cool, and demonicangel 3 for reviewing! Glad you like so far!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 2: Thorough Thoughts 

---

"Jou! Jou, guess what?" Yuugi asked, running up to his best friend.

Jou gathered the last of his books and closed his locker. "What is it Yuugi?" 

"I just heard that the next dance is this Friday! Isn't that exciting?" Yuugi announced, bouncing up and down in anticipation.

"Yeah, that's wonderful! Who you gonna ask to it?"

Yuugi looked down at the floor. "Oh, I dunno. I thought I might ask, um, Shizuka? If that's okay with you, of course!"

Jou smiled down at his friend. "You better ask her quickly, before Honda or Otogi do," he replied.

Yuugi beamed. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Yuug, you're the only person I don't mind dating my sister."

"Thanks! Well, see you around Jou!" Yuugi soon got lost in the stream of teenagers moving through the hallways.

Jou sighed. 'I hope Yuugi asks Shizuka before anybody else does. He's the only one I would trust my little sister with.' Jou walked slowly home, thinking about the upcoming dance. 'I wonder if I should ask Yami to the dance. It'd be the first one he's gone to since he got his own body.' Jou's eyes clouded over as he thought dreamily, 'And what a body! He's gotta be the hottest thing since Tabasco sauce.' Jou smiled wistfully. 'Oh, if only he were mine.'

Jou was so caught up in his daydream about Yami that he didn't realize that he was about to walk into someone until they were sitting on their rears on the sidewalk.

Jou shook his head out of the daze it was in and looked over at the person he had knocked over. He gasped in surprise, then quickly scrambled up on his feet. "So sorry Yami! Are you okay?"

Yami nodded as Jou helped him up on his feet. "That's alright Jou. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Jou asked with concern.

"I'm perfectly alright, really Jou. Just surprised me is all."

"Well, you surprised me!" Jou replied.

"You must have been deep in thought to not have noticed me."

Jou blushed. 'If only you knew _what_ I was thinking about!' "Yeah, I was," he admitted.

"Oh, and what exactly were you thinking?"

'How cute your ass is,' Jou thought silently to himself. "Well, Yuugi told me about the next dance being this Friday."

"Really? Interesting. So, are you planning on asking anyone to it?" Yami inquired.

"Actually, yes, I was."

"Oh, who?"

"Umm…er, y-"

"Yami! There you are! Why didn't you wait up for me?" Anzu asked as she ran up to the two teens.

"Oh, hi Anzu!" Yami turned and smiled at the brunette.

Jou plastered a smile on his face and said calmly, "Hi Anzu! How was your day today?"

Anzu grinned. "It was great! I just heard that there's a dance this Friday, and I was wondering, if Yami, would you like to go with me?"

Yami nodded. "Sure, I'd love to Anzu!"

Jou felt a tearing pain in his chest and knew it was his heart shattering like glass into a million tiny pieces. 'No! Not fair! I was just about to ask him! Somebody up there really must not like me.' Jou felt a lump growing in his throat and knew any moment that he was going to cry. 'No, not in front of them. I can't cry in front of Yami or Anzu! I'd rather cry in front of Kaiba before that happened!' "E-excuse m-me. I h-have t-to go," Jou stammered, and ran down the street and around the corner. Jou was overcome with grief and sat down against a building, letting his tears of sorrow and heartbreak course freely down his face.

Jou had been sitting there crying for about three minutes when he heard footsteps rounding the corner. He quickly wiped his face clean, well, as clean as possible, and stood up. By then, he could see the other person walking towards him. They were wearing a large trenchcoat and the head seemed to be slightly pointy…

Jou's eyes widened in fear. 'Honda! I can't let him see me like this! He'll ask questions!'

Jou glanced around him for a way to escape, but unfortunately he was standing in a blocked off alley.

The person walked nearer and nearer until they were standing five feet from Jou and Jou finally got a glimpse of the person's face. He didn't know whether to laugh or glare, but one thing was for certain, the person was far worse than Honda.

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: Bet you're all wondering who it is!

Siran: Who is it? Tell me? Please?

Rowan: Nope.

Jou: Rowan, you're very cruel, you know that right?

Rowan: Yup!

Jou: And she admits it openly!

Siran: Just be comforted with the knowledge that in the end, everything's gonna be all right.

Jou: But when's the end?

Siran: Not sure! But look on the bright side! Rowan's really dedicated to this story, so you and Yami'll be together in no time!

Jou: You're incredibly hyper and optimistic. You remind me of someone. Who?

Rowan: Anzu maybe?

Jou: Yeah, that's right! And right now I'm incredibly jealous of her!

Siran: That mean you don't like me?

Jou: No…

Siran: Oh joy!

Rowan: I'll give you joy…or, more appropriately, reviews from nice reviewers will give you joy!

Siran: Are you hinting something?

Rowan: *sarcastic * No, not at all. 


	3. Alleyway Answers

Rowan: Sorry for the delay! School started last Thursday, so I've been busy. But I'm ba-ack! 

Siran: Yay! You're back! Now start writing!

Rowan: You're as pushy as Sakura!

Siran: Yes, we're rather similar, Sakura and I. That's why we dislike each other.

Rowan: Hmm…good point…Anyways, onto the chapter! But first…

Thanks for reviewing:

cool: I hope this is soon, if not, sorry!

insanechildfanfic: I don't like Anzu/Tea either, but in this fic she's nice. If Sakura were writing this, Anzu/Tea'd be a real bitch. 

Escachick: Good guess! Well, you'll find out in a moment. 

demonicangel: Hope I didn't!

Angel Yami-ko: Good guesses both! But I wouldn't be so cruel as to have Yami find Jou crying. Glad you love so far! I love writing it!

KC: Thanks for your enthusiasm!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

AN: In this story, Jou is a reporter for the school newspaper, and Mai is in Domino High School. Also, everyone is fifteen, Shizuka's fourteen, and Mokuba's nine.

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 3: Alleyway Answers 

---

Jou settled on a surprised gasp as Kaiba Seto stepped out of the shadows and into the light, a birthday party cone hat on his head. Seto narrowed his eyes in dislike when he caught sight of Jou, then blushed slightly when he realized what Jou was staring at. He quickly whipped the colorful hat off his head, grumbling an explanation. "Mokuba forced me to wear it."

Jou blinked. "Oh…why?"

"None of your damn business mutt!" Seto snapped.

"Jeez, just asking! Let me guess, it's your birthday!" Jou said.

"Hmmph, good guess, puppy."

"So, what are you doing down this dead-end alley?" Jou asked, confused.

"I could ask you the same thing, mutt," Seto retorted.

"Well, what would the CEO of a major corporation have to do in an alley?" Jou persisted.

Seto glanced around him, trying to avoid the question.

"I know!"

Seto cocked an eyebrow at the blonde's triumphant face. "Really?"

"Umm, you do drugs?" Jou suggested uncertainly.

"Why would I waste my money on shit like that?" Seto asked, contempt evident in his voice. "I've got everything I could want. One would expect someone like you to do drugs more than me."

"Hey! Not so, Kaiba!" Jou said, offended, and lunged at the taller teen. Seto easily gripped the front of Jou's shirt and lifted his feet off the sidewalk. 

"You think you can beat me up, mutt? Honestly, don't need to take offense. I didn't say _you_ in particular, I just said people _like_ you. What with your parents divorced and your dad a drunk-"

"You leave my dad out of this!" Jou said angrily.

"I'm surprised you haven't turned to crack or some other substance."

Jou frowned at Seto. "It's because _I've_ got friends, unlike _you_."

"Friends who steal their friend's crush?" Seto questioned.

Jou looked over with owl eyes at Seto. "Wha- what d'ya mean by that Kaiba?"

Seto smirked knowingly at Jou. "Yami and Anzu?"

"What about them?" Jou asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, you mean you don't like Anzu?"

"Of course I don't!"

"Really?" Seto smiled.

"No, I don't like her!"

"Of course you don't," Seto taunted.

"No, for heaven's sake! I don't like Anzu, I like Yami!"

Seto placed Jou back on the ground and crossed his arms, a victorious smile on his face. "You like Yami, eh?" he asked, amused.

Jou's eyes widened to an enormous size. "Kaiba, you can't tell anyone! Please! I'll do anything you want!"

"Anything?"

Jou gulped as he saw a malicious gleam in Seto's eyes. "Anything," he repeated hesitantly.

"Good! Then I want you to print this ad in the school newspaper," he commanded, handing Jou a piece of paper. It was a picture of Jou in the dog suit that Otogi had made him wear briefly. Under the photo was the words, 'Jounouchi 'Mutt'suya'.

Jou glared up at Seto. "No, I won't!"

"Then I'll have this printed instead," Seto said, holding up another paper that showed Jou with a thought bubble over his head. In it was a picture of Yami. The caption read, 'Now we finally know what runs through Jounouchi's head. Who'd have thought? He actually _can_ think!'

Jou sighed. "Fine, I'll print it. Now if you'll excuse me-" Jou said, pushing past Seto and running home.

'Interesting…' Seto thought. 'My plans working.'

~*~~*~

"Hiya Shizuka! I hear there's a dance this Friday! Would you-" Honda started as he walked up to the girl, but felt himself shoved aside by a raven haired teen.

Otogi Ryuuji leaned against the locker next to Shizuka's. "Hello beautiful. There's a dance on Friday. Go with me?"

Shizuka blushed from all the attention she was receiving. "I…uh …" Suddenly her hazel eyes (I don't know what color they are) met with anxious amethyst ones. Yuugi was struggling through the crowd of people to reach Shizuka and gave up when he noticed that both Honda and Ryuuji had got there first.

"Sorry, I can't go to the dance with you Ryuuji. I'm already going with someone."

Ryuuji and Honda's faces fell when they received the news. "Who?" they asked.

"Um, Yuugi," Shizuka said.

"Oh, okay then! Well, see you later Shizuka!" they said, disappearing into the crowd. Shizuka sighed and continued taking out her notebooks from her locker. When she finished and turned to leave, she came face to face with Yuugi. "Hi Yuugi!" she greeted him cheerfully.

"Oh, hi Shizuka. I noticed you talking to Ryuuji and Honda earlier. So which one are you going to the dance with?"

"Neither!" Shizuka answered bouncily. "I told them I was going to the dance with someone else."

Yuugi's shoulders slumped down. "Oh. Who?" he asked.

"Um, well, I told them I was going with you Yuugi. Uh, do you want to go with me?" Shizuka inquired.

"I'd love to go with you Shizuka! I'll pick you up at seven!" Yuugi smiled excitedly. 'My first date! Yay! And I didn't even need to ask her!'

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: I just realized that the girls have been asking the guys out so far. Interesting, ne?

Siran: Yes, very interesting. Anyway, I think Seto was being very mean to Jou!

Jou: I agree!

Rowan: Yeah, well you wouldn't want me to make him dry Jou's eyes, would you?

Jou: I don't see why not!

Rowan: That'd be kinda OOC for him, don't you think?

Siran: Well, you did warn about OOCness.

Rowan: Fine then! Seto, come here for a sec?

Seto: *comes in with the silly party hat on head* Yes?

Rowan: I want you to- *****whispers in Seto's ear* 

Seto: *sighs* Fine. -Oh dear, Jou, have you been crying? Here, use this handkerchief!

Jou: Gah! What's going on?

Seto: Oh you poor thing! Tell me what's the matter! It'll be alright!

Jou: Rowan, what's going on?

Rowan: You wanted him OOC!

Jou: But that's just plain scary!

Rowan-1

Jou-0

Rowan: Point exactly. Anyways please review!

'I'd like to know what turns you on

So I can be all that and more

I'd like to know what makes you cry

So I can be the one who always makes you smile' -- Joe-I Wanna Know

Rowan: Yeah, don't ask. I'm listening to it right now, so yeah… 


	4. Dreadful Dance

Rowan: Oh, dear, nine days since the last update! Sorry!

Siran: Yeah…okay…

Rowan: Well, I'm too lazy to reply to the reviewers, so I'll just say 'Thanks for reviewing!' Now, on with the story!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

AN: In this story, Jou is a reporter for the school newspaper, and Mai is in Domino High School. Also, everyone is fifteen, Shizuka's fourteen, and Mokuba's nine.

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 4: Dreadful Dance 

---

"Jou! Jou, Mai's here!" Shizuka called up the stairs. She smiled apologetically at the blonde. "Sorry about Jou, he's been acting really weird lately."

Mai smirked. "Well, I'm sure whatever it is, I'll be able to drag it out of him."

Shizuka sighed. "I hope so Mai. I'm really worried about him. He's been moping about all week! I hope this dance does him some good."

Jou came blundering down the stairs. "Sorry I'm late! Ready to go Mai?"

"I thought we were waiting for Yuugi and the others?"

"Oh, right!" The doorbell rang then and Shizuka dashed over to answer it. The door opened to reveal Honda and his date, Miho. Shizuka disappointedly let them in, glancing over at the clock.

"Shizuka, it's only six fifty! Yuugi has ten minutes left!" Jou remarked.

"Hehe, right. Just nerves."

The bell rang again and Shizuka whipped the door open. "Yuugi! Hi! Come on in!" Shizuka said brightly.

"Uh, thanks Shizuka!" Yuugi stepped over the threshold, Yami and Anzu behind him. 

"Well," Jou said, clapping his hands together, "we're all here, so let's get going!"

"Oh, wait!" Yuugi exclaimed as Jou started to lead Mai out of the house, "I forget to tell you! Kaiba offered to drive all of us over in his limo! He also went to pick Ryou and Ryuuji up as well."

Jou had stopped listening the moment he heard Kaiba's name fall from Yuugi's mouth. 'Kaiba? Being nice? To _us_? This must be a ploy to one up me! To lord over the fact that he is the only one who knows my secret crush! That…that stuck up pig!'

"Jou? Jou, did you hear a word I said?" Yuugi asked, concerned.

"Uh…sorry Yuug. Kinda blanked out there on ya, huh? I was just thinking."

Yuugi shook his head and shrugged. "Well, what I was saying was that because there are eleven of us total, not counting Kaiba and his date, we're going to have to split up. So, I figured that you, Mai, Yami, and Anzu could go in Kaiba's limo, and the rest of us will go in Ryuuji's. Okay? Got that?"

Jou nodded. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say Yuugi."

There was a honking noise outside and Miho, who had been looking out the window, exclaimed, "Kaiba's here!"

~*~~*~

Jou fidgeted uncomfortably, squashed between Mai and Yami, with Kaiba sitting directly across from him, his long arm draped loosely over his date Isis's shoulders. On Isis's other side sat Malik, who was talking amiably with Anzu. Mai was leaning in front of Jou and having a heated discussion with Yami about, well, I won't tell you…:

"Sure, sure, Dark Magician Girl's a powerful enough card I guess, but if you want a kick butt female monster, Harpy Lady's the thing."

Yami shook his head. "I wasn't saying Harpy Lady wasn't a powerful monster, I'm just saying that if you pitted my Dark Magician Girl against your monster, no Magic or Trap cards involved, my Magician Girl would destroy your harpy."

"Who said I'd use my Harpy Lady? Who said I wouldn't use my Cyber Harpy Lady?" Mai asked, rather indignant.

"It was just hypothetical!" Yami retorted defensively.

Isis was watching this debate with interest. She found it fascinating how two people could appear to be having a very big argument and really not be saying anything much at all.

That left Seto staring haughtily across the vehicle at Jou. There was a look in his eye that said, 'I know your secret and I could tell it anytime I want. You're feelings and reputation don't matter to me.' Jou gulped nervously and turned back to Yami and Mai, who, it seemed, had stopped talking about, well, whatever it was they were talking about.

"It's been, like, what? A month since they've been going out? And _still_ rated the cutest couple in school?" Mai asked.

"Yeah, it's amazing! You'd think they'd have had an argument by now!" Yami acquiesced.

"But they're both too, I dunno, innocent to fight! I mean, he's so friggin' polite sometimes it gets on my nerves!"

"Well, that's Yuugi for you. And Shizuka is just a really sweet kid, y'know?"

Jou blinked. 'Hold it a second! Yuugi's been secretly dating Shizuka for a month? Oh, Yuugi's soo dead!' 

"Yeah, she is sweet. Such a pity she couldn't publicly show Yuugi affection. A certain brother of hers would probably have murdered his best friend recklessly," Mai said, glancing pointedly at Jou. Yami nodded sympathetically. "Poor, poor Shizuka."

Jou blushed, embarrassed that they had both known what he had been thinking. Mai smiled and returned to her conversation with Yami. "Well, our school's due for a new cutest couple. Are you and Anzu an item?"

Jou looked up, interested. He slightly noticed Kaiba glance in his direction, but paid him no attention. His focus was all on the drop dead gorgeous Pharaoh sitting next to him.

Yami turned to Anzu. "What do you think?"

Anzu slipped her hand into Yami's and squeezed it gently, before kissing him chastely on the lips. "Yeah."

Jou's eyes flashed green with envy.

~*~~*~  
Mai Kujaku sighed in frustration. That had been the millionth time Jou had stepped on her toes and it was getting annoying. "Yowch!"

Jou blinked. "Eh? You okay Mai?"

Mai glared angrily at Jou. "Well, let's see: I'm at the biggest dance of our sophomore year as of yet, with my crush, who is crushing my toes! How would you be?"

"Sorry Mai. You want to sit down?" Jou asked, concerned. 

"Yes, and get me some punch too, please!" Jou escorted Mai over to the side of the gym-turned-dance-floor and led her to the bleachers to sit. Then he walked over to the refreshment table, where Jou (literally) bumped into Yami, spilling punch on his shirt. "S-sorry Yami!" he cried, noticing a fruit punch stain on his tight black tee. "D-did I do that?" he stuttered.

Yami laughed. "That's okay Jou! I don't mind. It's not like it's dry cleaned or anything."

Jou smiled shakily as Yami placed his hand on Jou's arm reassuringly. "Don't sweat it pal." 

Jou's heart skipped a beat when he felt Yami's hand on his arm, but it sunk back down when he heard Yami call him 'pal'. 'That's all I'll ever be to him, eh? Just a friend. A buddy, a pal. Nothing like a lover.' 

Jou returned to Mai down spirited. "Here's your juice Mai," he said, handing the cup to her. Then the blonde took a seat beside her and watched everyone dancing with boredom.. Mai watched Jou and noticed how his eyes narrowed ever so slightly every time they swept over a certain couple: Anzu and Yami. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Look, Jou, if you'd rather be dancing with Anzu then sitting here with me, then why don't you?"

Jou looked over at Mai, startled. "A-Anzu? I don't want to dance with her!"

"Well then why do you glare at her and Yami so much? Are you jealous of Yami?"

"Jealous of Yami? No, I'm jealous of Anzu! I mean, she's got the h-mmph!" Jou covered his mouth quickly, eyes wide. 'I can't believe I almost told Mai what I think of Yami!'

Mai furrowed her brow as she tried to piece together what Jou had sputtered out. Finally, she began to understand. "You mean…you like…him?" Jou nodded his head slightly. "Oh…"

Jou lowered his head sadly. "Let me guess, you don't want to be my friend anymore."

Mai blinked. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, now that you _know_ who I like, why _would_ you?"

Mai shook her head. "Jou, I'll still be your friend no matter who you like! Hell, if you fell in love with an alien from Mars, I wouldn't care!"

Jou glanced up. "Really?"

"Yes really!"

"Thanks Mai." Jou grinned. "Promise not to tell?"

Mai nodded. "I promise."

~*~~*~ First person POV (not telling from who's viewpoint it is though! You'll just have to guess!)

I was walking over to the punch table when I slipped on some juice on the floor. "Oh, watch it there!" he said, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and halting my trip to the ground. I looked up into his breathtaking brown eyes. 

"Thanks for catching me," I said. 

He grinned a fabulous grin and replied, "Just watch your step."

Well, it's too late now, because I'm already falling, faster and faster, and I never want to reach the bottom. Because I'm afraid that when I do, I'll wake up from the best dream ever. The dream that he could have fallen in love with me too.

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: So, how do you like? I've added another, side love story to the main one. Wasn't that sweet of me?

Siran: Suure…So, who is it?

Rowan: Who is what?

Siran: The peeps!

Rowan: Guess.

Siran: Nah. I'll just let the reviewers guess instead.

Rowan: Okay then! 


	5. Oppurtunistic Offer

Rowan: I had started chapter five, but then I lost it! So now I have to start over again! Bummer!

Siran:…So, get writing!

Rowan: Right. Oh, and thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

AN: In this story, Jou is a reporter for the school newspaper, and Mai is in Domino High School. Also, everyone is fifteen, Shizuka's fourteen going on fifteen, and Mokuba's nine.

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 5: Opportunistic Offer

---

Jou rushed into the newspaper office and stopped Otogi. "Hey, Otogi, is that the newspaper? You haven't printed it yet, have you?"

The raven haired editor blinked in surprise. "Uh, yeah, this is the newspaper. Why, are we missing something?"

Jou opened the paper up and taped the paper Kaiba had given to him over an ad for the school car wash. "There, you can go print it now."

Otogi looked at the new ad Jou had put in. "A dare?" he asked, confused.

"You could say that," Jou replied.

"Why did you put that in there?"

"Kaiba made me," Jou explained simply.

"Since when do you do what Kaiba says?" Otogi inquired.

"Since…since he found out who my crush is," Jou said quietly.

"Ouch," Otogi hissed in sympathy.

"Yeah, well, it's really my fault he found out in the first place, so…Well, see ya around Otogi!"

"Yeah, see you Jou!"

~*~~*~ (Same first POV as last chapter)

I had just finished with the copy machine when I bumped into that arrogant bastard Kaiba. I dropped all my copies, and I had a lot. I bend over and started gathering them up, hoping to pick up my photocopy of my diary entry, but no such luck. Kaiba bent down to help me, and would you believe it? He picked that paper up!

"Hmm, your diary?" he asked, laughter in his voice.

"Give it back," I hissed.

He just ignored me and instead started reading my entry out loud. "'March 21s ', why wasn't that the day after the dance?" he asked, before continuing. "'I never thought it could have happened, but it did. I fell in love. It was at the dance. I had slipped in puddle of juice and he caught me. He looked so heroic and courageous at that moment, I can't believe that I didn't realize it before. And yes diary, I said 'he'. Who'd have thought? Who'd have thought I'd have fallen in love with Honda Hiroto?'"

I glared at that prying …CEO, for lack of a description. "Alright Kaiba. So you know who I'm crushing on. What're you going to do about it?"

Kaiba simply smirked at me. "Just wait and see."

~*~~*~ (Hopefully you all know it's not Yami)

The next day, Jou walked into the classroom in abnormally high spirits. Maybe it was because he was on time for once, or because he hadn't seen Kaiba all weekend, or maybe just because he had actually woken up on the right side of the bed. Whatever the reason, Jou was happy. That is until he saw his sister and Yuugi cuddling in the back of the classroom. Then he remembered how Yuugi had lied to him about his sister.

Jou stormed up to the cute couple. "Yuugi, I'd like to speak with you."

Everyone (which means Yami, Anzu, Honda, Ryou, Yuugi, Shizuka, Mai, and Otogi) looked up in surprise at the tone in Jou's voice. The tone he only used with Honda or Otogi if either got too close to his sister. "Yes Jou?"

"Why did you lie to me about you and my sister? You're my best friend, I trusted you!"

Yuugi blinked up, tears in his eyes. "Oh Jou, I'm really sorry! Please, I only did it because I thought it'd be for the best!"

"The best?"

"I thought that if I approached you and asked to date Shizuka you'd explode! So I thought that if I asked to take her to the dance, you'd rather me go than with her than Honda or Otogi!"

Jou's eyes narrowed. "But why did you date her behind my back?"

"I didn't want to wait until the dance!" Shizuka interjected.

"Shizu…?"

"Yes, it's my fault! I'm tired of you dictating who I can date and when! And I didn't think it right that Yuugi, your best friend, has to be afraid of your reaction to wanting to date me! So it was me who wanted to date behind your back!"

Jou was taken back with surprise. "Shizuka, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't listen to me! I tried, but no! Your head was in the clouds!"

"Sorry Shizuka. I'll try to be a better brother."

Shizuka snorted. "Jou, you're a fine brother, just try to be a more attentive one, okay?"

"Sure." Jou gave Shizuka a hug, and it was all sibling happiness until Honda had to interrupt it. "Hey, Yami, Anzu, get a load of this! You're rated as the cutest couple in school now!" Jou ran over to Honda. "They print that in the newspaper?"

Honda nodded. "Yeah! For the past month or so Shizuka and Yuugi were number one, but it seems that Yami and Anzu have taken over that title."

"Wait a second…you knew that Yuugi and Shizuka were dating, but you still chased after her?"

"Jou, we all knew, except you. I just flirted with her to keep up appearances."

Jou blinked. "And what about you Otogi? Did you know too?"

Otogi shook his head. "Jou, I'm the editor-in-chief of the newspaper."

Jou slapped his forehead. "Well I feel stupid!"

"Not too hard for you, eh mutt?" a cold voice said behind them.

Jou whipped around. "Kaiba," he growled.

Kaiba grinned icily. "I wouldn't try to patronize me, if I were you," he advised. His eyes darted quickly to Yami, then back to Jou, who was seething. "If you know what I mean…"he continued, as he walked over to his seat.

"Yeah, well you can't tell! I did what you wanted, now you have to keep up your end of the bargain!" Jou said angrily.

"And what makes you think I would honor that promise?" Kaiba asked sinisterly back, then sat down and started working.

"Uh, Jou, what was that about?" Yuugi asked.

"Nothing," Jou replied through gritted teeth.

"So, Yami, Anzu, what do you think about you guys being the cutest couple in school?" Honda asked to change the subject. 

Anzu blushed. "Oh, I don't know…"

Yami hugged her. "Stop being modest. You knew we were going to reach that status sometime."

Yuugi smiled at them. "Well, congratulations guys."

"Yeah. You halted Yuugi's and my record!" Shizuka added.

"You guys deserve it," Ryou added. "You're so lucky that you got to be in the paper!" he continued, glancing wistfully over at Bakura, who was huddled over something with Malik and Marik.

"Hey Ryou! There's something about you in here too!" Honda exclaimed.

"What? Let me see!" Ryou said, reaching over and taking the paper from the brunette.

"'Mysterious Occurrences At The Dance'" Ryou read. "'Last Friday, many students were found to be missing during the dance. We are not sure exactly who is behind it all, but we suspect it to be a certain Bakura Ryou…'" Ryou's eyes narrowed. "Oh, Bakura's soo dead!" he said vehemently as he stomped across the room and over to his other half. Malik, Marik, and Bakura quickly hid whatever they were working on and put on innocent faces as the angry teen approached. "Bakura, did you have anything to do with this?"

Bakura blinked up at his alter ego. "Who, me?"

"If you don't tell me, I won't let you hang out with Malik or Marik anymore!"

"Ryou sounds awfully like a mother hen," Honda whispered to Jou, who nodded.

Bakura hung his head in defeat. "Alright, I did it. I sent them to the Shadow Realm because they annoyed me. I freed them yesterday though!"

Ryou glared down at Bakura. "You can't do that anymore Baku-chan! And in order for you to know that I'm serious, you're going to be punished! You don't get any for a week!"

Bakura looked up in alarm. "A week? But-but I can't last that long!"

"Too bad! You need to learn your lesson!"

Yami, Yuugi, Mai, Anzu, Otogi, Honda, Shizuka, and Jou blinked in surprise. "Riight…"

"Uh, Jou, I hate to ask, but what's with that?" Honda asked, pointing to an ad in the newspaper (where does he get all these copies? Only he knows). Jou leaned over to take a better look at what Honda was pointing at. "Oh, that…"

"Oh that?" Honda asked, puzzled. 

"Honda, what is it?" Mai inquired. Honda showed her the picture of Jou in the dog suit. 

"Uh…Jou, is that what you were talking about when you said that to Kaiba? That you did what he wanted?"

Jou nodded. "Yeah…"

"Why?" Yami questioned.

"Uh…he knows something…I don't want to talk about it anymore. Hey, look at that article there…" Jou said, changing the subject abruptly. Honda, Yuugi, Yami, and Anzu soon forgot about the picture, but Mai guessed why Jou had avoided the subject and Otogi knew. But they both kept quiet.

~*~~*~ (Honda's POV)

I offered to stay after school to help him with the extra newspapers that had not been distributed today. But really, it was just an excuse to get closer to him. I've had a crush on him forever it seems. But I've finally decided that this crush is absolutely hopeless. I'm just going to forge about him after Friday and move on. 

I've heard that Mai's available now. I've got it all planned out. Spend one more day pining over him, and then, ask Mai out on a date. I mean, Mai's an incredibly attractive girl, if only I found her attractive. But after Friday, I'll have to.

He smiles at me. "Thanks for helping me Honda. It means a lot to me."

"No problem. I've got nothing else better to do." Than get this last chance to ogle you. 

~*~~*~ (Still Honda POV)

I stepped outside and started walking home when I bumped into Kaiba, and accidentally dropping my papers. "Oh, gomen nasai," I said, and bent down to pick up my papers. Kaiba, like the well breed moneybags that he is, bent down to help.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up my agenda. "You planning on asking Mai out on Friday? Good luck," he said, handing my planner back to me and walking away. I don't understand why Jou doesn't like him. He's very polite, when he wants to be.

~*~~*~

Jou stood in the alley and read the paper, then tossed it away, upset. "Why? Why do the gods wish to torture me so? Isn't bad enough I've fallen for him? Why must they make such fun of me?" Depressed, Jou picked up the discarded cigarette box he had found in the dead end. He pulled one out and put it to his mouth, lighting it with a match.

"Well, now you've ruined your chances to be with Yami. Smoking isn't exactly romantic. I've heard that when you kiss a smoker it's like licking an ashtray."

Jou dropped the cigarette and quickly snuffed it out. "What do you want Kaiba?"

Kaiba walked up to Jou. "I need a favor from you."

"Why should I help you?" Jou growled.

"Hear me out, will you? Now, my company is expanding to America shortly and I need to send someone over there to watch over it. I don't want to go, Mokuba likes it here. And I need to send someone I know won't try to take over my company. And I figured that since you're so unhappy here, you'd like to take the job."

Jou blinked, surprised. "It's very tempting, but what about Shizuka? And Yuugi and my friends?"

"It'll only be for six years tops. And there is always e-mail." Kaiba looked scruntizingly at Jou. "Don't you want to forget Yami?"

Jou nodded. "Yes, I do! Alright Kaiba, when do I leave?"

"Now. The flight leaves in three hours, and there's a limo waiting outside of your house to take you to the airport. You're helping me as much as I'm helping you, and if you do you're job correctly, you'll come back to Domino a very rich man."

Kaiba handed Jou the plane ticket. "Oh, and one more thing. Tell Otogi that if he's ever going to tell, to tell now before it's too late."

"Uh, sure. See ya Kaiba! In six years!" Jou ran down the road and too his house, about to start the adventure of a lifetime.

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: So, what do you think? Good, bad, horrible?

Siran: I think it's okay.

Rowan: Really?

Siran: Uh…yeah! Right guys?

YGO Cast: *in varying degrees of sarcasm* Yeah, it's wonderful!

Rowan: *sad* You hate it, don't you?

Anzu: I'm happy! I've got Yami!

Rowan: Yeah, and you'll have him for…*gasp* at least the next seven chapters!

YGO Cast: *Gasp*

Rowan: Oh, sad…;_;

Ryou: What exactly was all that with Bakura and me?

Rowan: You're lovers and you told him he wasn't getting any lovin' for a week.

Ryou: Oh… You never said anything about Ryou*Bakura!

Rowan: I never said a lot of things…But I do say that people must review if they want to read more!


	6. Party Poopers

Rowan: I really like writing this story! It's either this, or Life's Little Treasures, or Yami*Bakura fluff in my notebook, so I choose this. Hope you enjoy!

Siran: There's no Jou*Yami fluff! You promised these peeps Jou*Yami fluff!

Rowan: Hmm, yes you're right. Well, I think I'll try to get some in this chapter.

Thank yous:

Escachick: In a way Kaiba's helping Jou, but of course he's got his own hidden agenda in it all. He wouldn't help Jou just to help him, now would he?

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

AN: In this story, Jou is a reporter for the school newspaper, and Mai is in Domino High School. Also, everyone is fifteen, Shizuka's fourteen, and Mokuba's nine.

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 6: Party Poopers

---

Yami paced the floor of the game shop anxiously. 'Where are they? Haven't they found Jou yet?' Just then, the shop door opened and Yuugi slipped inside. "Hey Yami."

"Any sign of Jounouchi?" Yami asked.

"Some good news…and some bad news. The good news is, Shizuka and I found a letter from Jou."

"And the bad news?"

Yuugi sighed. "You'll find out in a minute, once the rest of the gang arrives." As if on cue, Shizuka, Ryou, Bakura, Honda, Otogi, Mai, Anzu, Malik, and Marik entered the store. "Hey guys. You got here quick!"

Yami jumped up and ran over to Shizuka. "Do you have Jou's letter?" he inquired apprehensively.

Shizuka nodded. "Here you go Yami," she said as she handed him the note.

"'Dear Shizuka, Yami, Yuugi, Mai, Honda, Anzu, Ryou, and everyone else. I have been offered the job of a lifetime in America, and I accepted it. I will be gone for the next six years and probably won't be able to visit. I'll be in touch when I can, but it won't be often. Please don't come looking for me or worry. I'll be fine. Really, I will.

'On a different note, I love you very much Shizuka and am always with you, if not physically, in your heart. To Yami, as my best friend and Yuugi's yami, I expect you to watch out for my little sister and make sure Yuugi doesn't break her heart! Yuugi, hurt Shizuka (not that you will) and I'll be back in a flash to take care of you! Mai, I hope you find happiness with someone who'll love you and be able to satisfy your lavish tastes. Honda, um, don't get into any trouble. I'd hate to have to bail you out of jail when I get back!'"

"Hey!" Honda exclaimed.

"Ssh!"

"'Anzu, I wish you and Yami the best. And to Ryou, I thought you'd stay a virgin the longest out of all of us. Guess I was wrong. Well, I wish only the best for you and Bakura now and in the future. Well, I gotta go now! P.S. Otogi, if you're ever going to tell, tell now before it's too late.' That's all."

Everyone sat in silence, questions running through their heads, questions that mainly consisted of, 'Why did Jou leave?', 'What is this job he got?' and 'Ryou's not a virgin anymore?'. Finally, Honda broke the silence. "Tell what Otogi?"

Otogi blinked. "Uh…I think Jou means that I should tell who my crush is." 'Though how Jou knew, I don't know. Kaiba didn't tell him, did he?'

"Who _is_ your crush then?" Mai asked. 

"Well…my crush is gorgeously tall…"

"That rules out you Yuugi!" Malik said, laughing.

"Well it's too late anyway if it was me! I'm already Shizuka's," Yuugi replied, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Well in that case, that would rule out Yami, Anzu, and apparently Ryou and Bakura as well. So who does that leave?" Honda voiced.

"Me, Malik, Mai and Honda," Marik replied.

"Give us another clue Otogi!" Anzu requested.

"Well…he's very sweet when he wants to be, but definitely a manly man." 

'Hmm,' Honda thought. 'Could it be he likes me? It makes sense, doesn't it? But how would Jou know that I was planning on asking Mai out Friday? Only Kaiba knew that!' "Uh, I need to go for a walk guys. See you around," Honda informed his friends before stepping outside.

Otogi glanced at his watch. "Yeah, I need to get going too. Bye." Otogi walked outside and quickly followed Honda.

~*~~*~

Jou gazed out the window and sighed. This was it. He was leaving Japan and everyone he ever knew. Jou didn't even know that much English! But somehow he knew he would survive this…ordeal, for lack of a better word. 

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, Jou fell into a deep sleep.

__

He was walking down a dark street during a rainy day, tears mingling with the water falling _from above. A familiar voice called his name. "Jou! Jou, where are you?" The voice was now at the other end of the street, and coming closer to the blonde, who now recognized the voice as his beloved's: Yami. "Jou! Wait up! Jou!"_

Jou tried to ignore the voice, but how could he? How could he ignore that birdsong that made his knees go weak and his stomach fill with butterflies? Yami caught up to him in no time. "Jou! Are you alright? Jou, speak to me!"

Jou turned his tearstained face to Yami. "Oh, Yami, I…"

"I'm sorry Jou! I should've known you'd react like this! We should've broken the news to you gently. Please forgive me!"

"Why?" Jou asked hoarsely. 

__

"You're right! Why should you forgive me? Me, a 5000 year old Pharaoh who comes and steals the girl of your dreams! If you want, I won't marry Anzu! I'll let you have her. You deserve to be with the one you love!"

Jou gave Yami a confused look. "But, Yami…"

"No buts about it! Go on, you marry Anzu. You start a family together. You deserve that! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine as long as you're happy Jou!" Yami cried over the roar of the rain.

"But Yami, I don't want to marry Anzu! I want to-"

Yami slapped his forehead. "Of course you don't want to! Why would you, when you know the child she's carrying is not yours! I'm so stupid!"

"No, Yami! You're not stupid! You're -" Jou tried to say.

"No, I'm a horrible horrible person! Jou, please forgive me! Please! And marry Anzu, I insist!"

"Yami, listen to me! I don't want to marry Anzu! I want to…" Jou was about to say, 'marry you,' but when he saw the tears in Yami's eyes and the love shining through them, he couldn't bring himself to say it. "I want to see you happy, and you're happy with Anzu. So marry her. I insist. If you don't, Anzu will be left a single mother, raising her child on her own, and we can't allow that. So you must marry her!"

Yami smiled. "Really Jou? Oh, thank you, thank you! Will you be my best man?"

"No, make Yuugi your best man."

"Okay Jou. Thank you." Yami hugged Jou for a second, a second in which Jou was able to catch a whiff of Yami's unique and special scent. Then he got up and ran through the rain back to the game shop and his future bride, leaving a heart-broken Jou in the streets all alone. 

~*~~*~

"I like the park. I come here when I want to think. It's peaceful and quiet here. What about you Honda? Do you like the park?"

Honda nodded, looking down from his vantage point on the hill before speaking. "Otogi, were you talking about me back at the game shop? Am I your crush?"

Otogi walked right up next to Honda on his hill. "What do you think?"

"I think…I think I'd be very flattered and happy if I were."

Otogi smiled. "Well, consider yourself flattered."

Honda turned his face towards Otogi. "Well, you're my crush as well."

"So it works out, doesn't it Honda?"

"Call me Hiroto."

Otogi nodded. "Then call me Ryuuji."

"Alright, Ryuuji…so what do we do now that we've confessed we like each other?" Honda asked.

"I think most people do this," Otogi said, pulling Honda down to his level and kissing him softly. Honda's eyes slid closed as Otogi deepened the kiss, and his hands slipped unbidden around Otogi's waist.

They pulled apart and smiled. "We should do that more often Ryuuji."

"We will. We'll have plenty of time to do that, but first I want to know something. Why did I have to tell you that I love you before it was too late?"

Honda grinned lopsidedly. "Well, I was planning on asking Mai out on Friday. Though how Jou found out, I have no idea. Kaiba's the one who saw it in my agenda."

"Yeah, Kaiba was the only one to know that I had a crush on you. So either Jou's really good at knowing these kind of things, which I doubt…"

"Or Kaiba told him."

"But why would he? Unless…"Otogi said.

"Unless it was Kaiba who offered Jou that job in America!"

"But why would he?" Otogi mused. "Kaiba hates Jou!"

"Only Kaiba knows."

~*~~*~

Yuugi sat on the edge of his bed and sighed. 'I know I said I wasn't going to use the Millennium Tauk to see the future, but I have to know.' Yuugi pulled the gold necklace out and placed it around his neck. 

__

Jounouchi was talking on the phone, his face animated as he spoke. "How is everyone? Is Shizuka still with Yuugi? And what's been going on with Ryou and Bakura lately?" A pause, then, "C'mon Mokuba! You may only be fifteen years old, but you must have some _news!" Another pause, then, "Really?! Ryou and Bakura are getting married? Since when? A _year_? Why've they waited so long?" Jou's face darkened slightly, then he replied, "Oh, so they've been waiting on _me_? Thanks for the news Mokuba. Could you put your brother on the phone please?" Jou tapped his foot impatiently. "Oh, he's 'busy' is he? Well, tell him that I'm coming back to Japan. I will not miss Ryou and Bakura's wedding." Jou listened to Mokuba then said, "I don't care if the whole world depended on me being in America! I'm coming back! If he's too busy with Mai to talk with me now, then it's his fault that I ruined his business plans." More listening. "I wouldn't care if I was Atlas [1] and the planet was resting on my shoulders! Ryou and Bakura are my friends and I'm going to see them get married!" More talking from the other end. "Oh hi Seto! Yes, yes I understand. I'll take the first plane back. There's a jet ready for me? Thank you and I'll be in Domino as quick as I can. Oh, I didn't interrupt anything, did I? Right, well, say hi to Mai for me!"_

Yuugi blinked as the vision faded. 'That was …interesting. Judging by what Jou said about Mokuba's age, this must have come from six years in the future! And I think I know who Jou's boss is! It's Kaiba! I should've known!' Yuugi sighed as he put his Tauk away again. As he started to go downstairs for dinner, a thought occurred to him. 'Ryou and Bakura are getting married in six years! If only Mokuba had said something about Shizuka and me!'

~*~~*~

"Yuugi?" Shizuka whispered as they sat in the park and watching the sunset.

"Yes Shizu buttercup?" Yuugi replied with his pet name for his girlfriend of one year and three months, causing her to giggle.

"Yuugi, doesn't your Millennium Item show the past, present, and future?"

Yuugi nodded. "Yes, it does."

"Do you think you could see what drove Jou to leave Domino?" Shizuka requested.

"I've tried Shizuka." Yuugi shook his head sadly. "But the one thing the Tauk won't show are visions that have anything to do with love. [2]"

"Love? Why not?"

"Because love is unpredictable, just like the future. Certain events can change a person's mind or heart, and therefore change all the following events after that," Yuugi explained.

"But what does that have to do with Jou leaving?" Shizuka asked, puzzled.

"My theory is that Jou was in love with someone but couldn't have them and so was driven to misery. If only I knew who it were that Jou loved!" Yuugi cried in frustration.

"Yuugi, don't be so hard on yourself. If the Tauk can't know or show anything pertaining to love, how could you possibly?" Shizuka soothed.

"But Shizuka, I'm supposed to be the people person! I'm supposed to be able to see a person and know what they're about! And I just can't figure Jou out!"

Shizuka smiled sadly. "Well, I don't understand him anymore than you do, and he's my brother!"

Yuugi nodded. "True. I guess…I guess I'll just never understand Jou."

~*~~*~  
"Happy Graduation guys! We're finally out of high school!" Honda shouted as he popped open the champagne bottle and served everyone present.

Otogi shook his head as Honda got to him. "Isn't champagne a bit much Hiroto?"

Honda laughed. "No! I've been looking forward to this day for thirteen years and now that it's finally here, I'm gonna celebrate!"

The gang, minus Jou of course, had gathered at Otogi's house for an end-of-the-year celebration. Music was blaring from huge stereo systems and Yuugi, Shizuka, Yami, Anzu, Mai, and Kaiba were dancing on the freshly polished wood floor. Honda and Otogi were standing on the sides, one getting himself drunk on champagne and the other standing by just in case he succeeded. Ryou and Bakura were standing near them, not doing much of anything, considering that earlier that day they had had an argument.

Flashback

"Bakura, I said no!" Ryou shouted, thoroughly annoyed.

"But why not? I think it'd be fun!"

Ryou shook his head. "Because if we spiked the punch and got everyone drunk enough to get it on with each other, one, Seto Kaiba would kill us the next morning, two, Otogi would kill us in the morning, three, Yami would banish you to the Shadow Realm, and four, Jou would kill us when he found out we in essence got his sister laid. And of course Jou would have killed Yuugi before, which would anger Shizuka and Yami, which would anger Anzu, who would probably go on about something and somehow connect it to friendship and annoy the hell out of everyone and then they'd want to kill us. The only one who wouldn't want to would probably be Honda and he'd emulate us. That's why."

Bakura pouted. "Fine then! Be that way!"

Ryou glared. "I think I will be that way thank you very much!"

"Then I'm not talking to you!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!" Ryou yelled. The two bishounens scowled at each other for a moment, then stomped away.

End Flashback

Yuugi, dancing with Shizuka, noted the lack of love between Ryou and Bakura. 'They look really angry with each other! What if…what if they break up because of this? Then they won't get married and Jou won't come back!' Yuugi thought in a panic. 'I know I'm not supposed to alter destiny, but I have to interfere or we may not ever see Jou again!' Yuugi looked across to Shizuka. "Sakura blossom?" he whispered. 

"Yuugi, why do you keep calling me flowers?"

Yuugi smiled. "Because you're as innocent as a daisy, as delicate as a Sakura blossom, as radiant as a buttercup, and as beautiful as a rose. I have no need of a garden, for you are my garden!"

Shizuka giggled shyly and blushed. "How poetic!" she exclaimed.

"Shizuka, you are a million romantic poems wrapped up in rose petals and white silk," Yuugi replied.

"Oh Yuugi! But what was it you wanted?"

Yuugi looked across the room to Ryou and Bakura. "Remember that vision I told you about?"

"The phone one?"

"Yes. Well, it seems to me that Ryou and Bakura are very angry with each other right now, so much so they might break up! And if they do…"

"Jou may never come back!" Shizuka exclaimed, catching onto what Yuugi was saying.

"Yes. We have to get them to forgive and forget."

"But how?"

Yuugi stopped dancing as he tried to come up with an idea. "I know! We could play a game!"

"A…game? What kind of game?"

"Truth or Dare or something…it might work."

"We had better hope so."

Twenty Minutes Later

Otogi sat down in his spot next to Honda in the circle. "Alright, well we're playing 'Spin the Bottle', with bottle courtesy of Honda…"

Honda was pouting next to his boyfriend as he put the empty champagne bottle on the floor.

"Yeah, so…," Otogi continued, "Ryou, why don't you go first?"

Ryou shrugged. "Sure, why not?" He spun the bottle and watched it intensely as it twirled round and round, finally stopping and pointing at…Bakura.

"I'm sorry, but I don't kiss _strangers_," Ryou said.

Bakura glowered. "Well neither do I!"

"Hmmph!" Ryou said, getting up and walking away. Bakura snorted and walked in the other direction.

Yuugi sighed. 'Okay, so that didn't work. On to Plan B…talk to them.'

~*~~*~~*~

[1] Atlas, from Greek mythology is said to hold the world on his shoulders for all eternity. 

[2] Not true, I just made it up. It makes the story interesting that way.

Rowan: This chapter was getting way too long, so I split it into two parts.

Siran: Practically six pages! Wow, this chapter _is_ long!

Rowan: Didn't I just say that?

Siran: Yes.

Jou: *who out of the blue appears* I was hardly in this chapter! And there was no Jou*Yami fluff!

Rowan: Hehe, well, you see, the fluff is in the second part of this chapter.

Jou: Oh.

Rowan: So, did you like the chapter?

YGO Cast: Uh…

Shizuka: I _loved_ it! Yuugi sweet-talking me so much! Oh, he's soo romantic and poetic!

Yuugi: *blushes*

Rowan: Glad _you_ liked.

Bakura: Why is it you hardly mention me and Ryou as a couple until we're arguing?

Rowan: It's 'Ryou and I' and it's because you guys weren't important until then.

Bakura: *glares*

Rowan: Well, how did the readers find this update? Please tell me in a review! Thanks! 


	7. Warm Welcome

Rowan: I figured that since I posted the first half of this chapter, I would post the second half soon after.

Siran: Makes sense.

Rowan: Good.

Thank yous: Escachick: Yes, and there's more to come! AnimeObsessed: Glad you like! 

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

AN: Last chapter, the gang found out that Jou left for a job in America that would last six years. Honda and Otogi discovered that their feelings for the other was mutual, and Yuugi took a look into the future. Right now, Yuugi is trying to get Ryou and Bakura to apologize and get back together. Everyone is eighteen now. 

**A Love Denied**

Chapter 7: Warm Welcome

---

Five Minutes Later

"Yami, please?" Yuugi begged.

Yami shook his head. "Sorry Yuugi, but I refuse to converse with the Tomb Thief! And I'm not about to help him with his love life!"

Yuugi sighed. "Alright, look. If Ryou and Bakura break up, then they won't get married and Jou may never come back. Don't you want to see Jou again?"

Yami blinked. "How'd you know all that?"

"The Millenium Tauk. About three years ago I used it to see the future. Jou was talking on the phone and he mentioned Bakura and Ryou getting married and him having to rush back here to see them."

"Where's Bakura? I must talk to him at once and get him to see reason!" Yami declared, rushing over to the former thief. "Bakura, we have to talk! Now!" Yami dragged Bakura by the arm into the house.

Yuugi grinned and walked up to Ryou. "Do you have a minute?"

Ryou nodded and looked over at Yuugi. (Did I mention? Yuugi's slightly taller than Yami, who has not grown at all.) "Sure, what is it Yuugi?"

Yuugi shuffled his feet. "Well, I noticed you and Bakura weren't talking. How are things with you two?"

Ryou laughed. "Oh, we just had a small disagreement and we've declared a silence battle! Nothing to worry about!"

Yuugi sighed inwardly. "Just a disagreement? Oh, good. What about though?"

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

Meanwhile...

Yami flung Bakura on the couch in Otogi's living room. "Now you listen to me Bakura! You go outside and apologize to Ryou right now! Also, you will promise never to argue with him! And you two will be happy and stay together forever and eventually marry and adopt kids and live a typical cheerful live! Understand?"

Bakura nodded. "Sure Pharaoh, whatever you say..."Bakura quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go out and apologize!" Yami ordered, pointing to the door. When Bakura didn't move, Yami stomped over and pulled him up by his shirt collar. The former ruler of Ancient Egypt then dragged him back to the party, flinging him right into Ryou's arms.

Bakura moved his face from where it was buried in Ryou's chest and mumbled humbly, "I'm sorry I argued with you earlier and I promise never to do that again. Will you forgive me?"

Ryou looked at his watch. "Twelve hours and seventeen minutes. I expected you to start talking hours ago! Of course I forgive you Bakura."

Bakura grinned and hugged Ryou fiercely about the waist. "Domo arigatou!" 

Ryou smiled and pulled his koi into a chaste kiss. "Say, Otogi, the guest rooms are upstairs, right?"

"Yeah, on the right," Otogi replied.

"Good. You don't mind if we..." Ryou asked.

"Not at all!"

Ryou led Bakura up the stairs, giggling all the way.

Five hours later

Bakura pried his eyes open and glanced over at the adorable teen beside him. "Eion ni aishitero," he whispered. [1] His sleepy mind wandered back to what Yami had said earlier. 

_"Now you listen to me Bakura! You go outside and apologize to Ryou right now! Also, you will promise never to argue with him! And you two will be happy and stay together forever and eventually marry and adopt kids and live a typical cheerful live! Understand?"_

'Marriage? That would be nice. There's no one I'd want to spent the rest of my life with than my Ryou. But would he want to marry me? I hope so.' Bakura smiled as the image of Ryou and him living a small cottage on a hill, just the two of them. Oh, but Yami had mentioned adopting kids...

'What would I want with a bunch of baby goats?'

~*~~*~

"I don't know if I can do this!" Bakura cried nervously.

Yami sighed. "Of course you can! You've been thinking about asking him to marry you for two years! You can do this! Besides, you can't return the ring anyway."

Bakura opened the box and examined the diamond. "Ryou'll like this, won't he?"

"As long as it comes from the bottom of your heart, he won't care. Now get going, you've spent way too much time in the bathroom! He's probably wondering what's taking so long."

Bakura peeked through the crack between the door and the frame, gazing over at a slightly impatient-looking Ryou. "All right! I can do this! I know I can!"

Bakura walked confidently back to his table. Yami sighed. "Yuugi, if it weren't for the fact that those two getting together will bring Jou back, I'd never have given Bakura that prep talk. I'd never have went with him to buy the ring either. Or staked out the perfect restaurant to pop the question. Or endured helping him practice asking Ryou the question. Or helped that tomb robber in any way, shape or form!" Yami sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you owe me big time."

Yuugi smiled cheekily down on Yami. "Don't worry, I'll think of something. But, Yami? Hasn't all of this gotten you to thinking? About you, and Anzu? Would you ever marry her?"

Yami shrugged. "I don't think I'm much the marrying type. And I don't think I'd really want to marry Anzu, unless I found it necessary."

Yuugi nodded. "Oh, okay."

Meanwhile...

Bakura sat down in his seat across from Ryou and grinned nervously. "Ryou, do you remember two years ago, at Otogi's graduation party?"

Ryou nodded. "Yeah, I remember..."

"Well, before I apologized to you, Yami gave me a short lecture and a small push, and, well, I've thought a lot about what he said."

"What was it that he said?" Ryou inquired.

"He told me to marry you and adopt kids and live happily ever after, and Ryou, I want to marry you. Will you marry me and raise baby goats?" Bakura asked, producing the ring.

Ryou gasped. "Oh Bakura! Of course I'll marry you! I love you, forever and ever!" Ryou's eyes shined as bright as diamonds as Bakura gently slid the ring onto his finger. "But...raise baby goats?"

Bakura nodded. "That's what Yami said!"

"Oh, Bakura, he meant children!" Ryou giggled.

Bakura's face fell as his mental image of him and Ryou living on a hill with their kids shattered before his eyes.

"Oh, but if you really want goats, I'm fine with that too Bakura!" Ryou said, taking Bakura's hands in his own.

Bakura smiled up at his fiancé. "No, children are much better!" He leaned over the table and kissed Ryou. "As long as I'm with you."

~*~~*~

Honda popped open a champagne bottle. "This calls for a celebration!" he yelled, producing glasses for everyone. "To Ryou and Bakura, may they find happiness in their future together as husband and...husband!"

"To Ryou and Bakura!" the others replied, raising their glasses high to the newly engaged couple.

Otogi quickly shook hands with the two white haired bishounens, then rescued the wine bottle from his boyfriend. "Uh, I think you like champagne a bit too much Hiroto," he observed.

Honda shrugged. "Perhaps," he said.

Yuugi smiled at the happy pair. "Have you two set a date yet?" he inquired.

"Er, well, no, actually, we haven't," Ryou replied, 

Yuugi smiled. "Well, you'll wait for Jounouchi's return, right? He'll be back in a year!"

"But what if he doesn't come back?" Bakura asked.

"Why would you say that?" Yami, who overheard that comment, inquired.

Bakura shrugged. "What if he likes it in America so much that he _wants_ to stay there?"

Kaiba, who was standing with his arm looped in Mai's, smirked at this. 'Not to worry. He'll be back in a year, they can count on it.'

~*~~*~ (Wonder what's been going on with Jou?)

_Jou stepped off the plane and gasped at his welcoming party. He had expected Kaiba, Mokuba, and Mai, but what was Yami doing there?_

_Yami raced over to Jou the moment his foot touched the ground. "Jou!" he cried before hugging him fiercely about the waist. "Oh Jou, I missed you these long six years that you've been gone! And I realized that..." Yami trailed, not sure whether to continue._

_"You realized that...?" Jou prompted._

_"I realized that I love you Jou," Yami whispered._

_Jou smiled excitedly and eagerly pushed his lips against Yami's. "I love you too Yami! I love you so so much!"_

_Yami let go of Jou's waist and knelled. "Jou, I'm so glad you love me. I've given this a lot of thought, and would be honored if you would-_

**Beep! Beep!**

Jou rolled over in his bed and slammed his fist on the snooze button. The poor clock, it couldn't put up with much more abuse.

Jou lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. 'The same dream I had yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and the day before that! In fact, the same dream for six stinking years!' Jou sighed. 'Why is it that I can't get him out of my mind? I came to America to forget him, yet he's the only thing I can remember! Every corner I turn, I expect to see him. Every time the phone rings, I think it's him that's calling! And every night, he haunts my dreams! And no matter how much I immerse myself in work, I still think about him! Even when I've worked so hard and long, that heavy, dreamless sleep is the only thing that comes when I lay down in bed, he's still there! He's everywhere, and he always will be!'

Jou heaved a sigh and got out of bed. "Time to start another day," he said in a less than cheerful voice.

After he showered, changed, and went downstairs for breakfast...

**Briiing! Briiing! Briiing!**

Jou picked up the telephone. "Hello?"

"Hey Jou! It's me, Mokuba!" 

"Oh, hey Mokuba! How're things?" Jou asked. Over the past six years, he had gotten to like the younger kid and treated him as one would a cousin or something. Jou never assumed a big brotherly relationship with Mokuba, not wanting to upset his boss.

"Things are good!" Mokuba replied bouncily. "I just asked this girl I really like out, and she accepted!"

"Good for you Mokuba!"

"Thanks!" Mokuba exclaimed, and Jou knew that the teen was smiling on the other end. "Yeah, Yuugi gave me some advice as to how to approach her and it really worked!"

"Oh, really? How is everyone? Is Shizuka still with Yuugi? And what's been going on with Ryou and Bakura lately?" Jou inquired.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"C'mon Mokuba! You may only be fifteen years old, but you must have some news!" 

"Well, now that you mention it, I remember Seto saying something about Ryou and Bakura getting married."

"Really?! Ryou and Bakura are getting married? Since when?"

"Uh, a year, I think."

"A year? Why've they waited so long?" 

"Seto said they're waiting for you."

"Oh, so they've been waiting on me? Thanks for the news Mokuba. Could you put your brother on the phone please?" 

"All right, hold on one second." Mokuba placed the phone down and Jou waited. A minute later, Mokuba said, "Oh, I'm sorry, he's busy right now."

"Oh, he's 'busy' is he? Well, tell him that I'm coming back to Japan. I will not miss Ryou and Bakura's wedding." 

"But you can't! The company depends on you staying in America!" 

"I don't care if the whole world depended on me being in America! I'm coming back! If he's too busy with Mai to talk with me now, then it's his fault that I ruined his business plans." 

"But the American branch is depending on you!"

"I wouldn't care if I was Atlas and the planet was resting on my shoulders! Ryou and Bakura are my friends and I'm going to see them get married!"

"I absolutely agree," a different voice replied.

"Oh hi Seto! Yes, yes I understand. I'll take the first plane back. There's a jet ready for me? Thank you and I'll be in Domino as quick as I can. Oh, I didn't interrupt anything, did I? Right, well, say hi to Mai for me!"

Jou hung up the phone and jumped in the air. He was going to see his friends at last! But then another thought occurred. 'What am I going to say to them?'

~*~~*~

Jou glanced out the window and down on the ocean. He remembered crossing it six years prior and how apprehensive he felt. 'Not much has changed there,' he thought. 

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, Jou fell asleep again.

_Jou was sitting in a bar, four empty beer glasses in front of him. 'Why didn't I tell him? Why couldn't I have been selfish for once? Why oh why?'_

_He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to come face to face with Bakura. "What d'you want?" he asked, slurring his words together. _

_"I knew I'd find you here," Bakura replied. "Everyone's worried about you! They think you're upset by the news. They think you love Anzu. But I know better," Bakura said with a wink._

_"Wha?"_

_"I've known since the day the Pharaoh and I got our separate bodies. I knew, because that's when I realized that I loved Ryou. That's how you knew about Ryou and I first, isn't it? Because you were in love, you could sense our love for each other too, couldn't you?"_

_Jou's head started to ache and he said so._

_"Let's get you to the bathroom!" Bakura said, pulling Jou to the restroom and into a stall. Jou was very grateful to have Bakura there as he retched into the toilet. It was only later on that he wondered how Bakura was so familiar with the location of the bar's bathroom._

Jou woke up, shaken by his dream. 'What is with all these dreams?' he thought, anguished.

~*~~*~

"Hi Kaiba! Thank you so much for sending the jet to get me!" Jou exclaimed as he stepped into the airport.

"Not at all," Kaiba replied, walking over to help Jou with his luggage, Mai on his arm and Mokuba trailing behind.

"Hi Mai, so good to see you!" Jou said, hugging Mai.

"Good to see you too Jou. Though I'm sure Yuugi and the others will be equally as happy to see you, if not more so."

"Do they know I'm back yet?" Jou inquired as the party of four walked over to the limo waiting for them.

"Nope! We thought you'd like to surprise them. They're all at the game shop right now," Mokuba informed the blonde.

"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces!" Jou remarked.

Half an hour later

The limo pulled up along the sidewalk and Yuugi exclaimed, "Kaiba and Mai are here! Quick everyone, let's all hide and surprise them!" Yami, Anzu, Shizuka, Otogi, Honda, Bakura, and Ryou all hid behind the store counter. "Here they come!" Yuugi whispered as he joined them behind the counter.

The door opened slowly and the lights were flicked on. "Surprise!" everyone shouted, jumping up from behind their hiding spot. Then, they all blinked in shock. "Jou?" they chorused. 

~*~~*~~*~  
[1] Eion ni aishitero: I love you forever.

Rowan: Mwahahaha! Oh, I just couldn't resist! I was going to do that differently, but just the thought of all their shocked faces made me do it that way! So, what do you think?

Siran: Lengthy.

Jou: *pouts cutely* There was hardly any of me in this chapter!

Rowan: But at least you got to kiss Yami, right?

Jou: That was a dream.

Rowan: Whatever. Anyways, what did the rest of you think?

Bakura: Ryou and me fluff!

Rowan: ...Ookaay...Oh, BTW, I had some foreshadowing in this chapter...see if you can tell me what it is! There's one thing I'm looking for specifically, but if you give me a different example that's correct, that's okay too! First one to get it right gets the next chapter dedicated to them! If no one guesses, then oh well! 

Siran: Well peeps, review! Or else you'll never know why Yuugi and the others wanted to surprise Kaiba and Mai!

Rowan: And you won't get any more Jou*Yami fluff! 


	8. Secretive Soul

Rowan: As I was typing this, I realized how un-Jounouchi Jounouchi is in this chapter. He like practically cries twice, becomes completely choked up, in front of all his friends- Jou is incredibly OOC in this story!

Jou: You just noticed?

Rowan: Hey, you want to write this story?

Jou: Sure!

Rowan: Well, what would you write?

Jou: This. 'Jou proclaimed his undying love for Yami and found it to be reciprocated. So Yami dumped Anzu, married Jou, and together they overtook Kaiba Corps and became multibillionaires! The end.'

Rowan: Uh…maybe you should stick to acting.

Jou: Wait…this is all acting! This isn't real?

Rowan: No it's not real. Sorry, Jou, there's no such thing as Santa Claus.

Jou: No Santa Claus? Nooo!

Sakura: Now you've done it! You've destroyed every little kid's belief in Santa!

Rowan: Hopefully everyone here's not that little of a kid.

Sakura: Oh, good point.

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story. 

Rowan: Hey look! It's in the warning too!

Jou: Congratulations genius.

Rowan: Look who's talking! 

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 8: Secretive Soul

---

Otogi was the first to shake out of his dazed surprise, walking around the counter and greeting the blonde in the doorway. "Jounouchi! Long time no see! And you arrived on the perfect day too! We're holding a party at my house for Mai and Kaiba's fourth year anniversary! You'll come, won't you?"

Jou blinked at the black-haired inventor and smiled. "I had almost forgotten how much you talk," he joked. 

This small exchange broke the spell over the others, who all rushed over to greet their long-lost friend. 

"Jounouchi, you're back!"

"How long are you staying?"

"Where are you staying?"

"Jou, we missed you so much!"

Jou grinned widely, tears in his eyes. "I missed you guys too!"

Shizuka frowned at her Oniisan. "Jou, do you know how worried you made us?"

Jou looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry Shizuka. Well, at least I'm not leaving again. I-I really missed you guys these past six years."

Yami patted Jou's shoulder. "As did we. By the way, what made you come back? I know it said in your letter that you would be back in six years, but we were starting to have our doubts!"

Jou smiled half-heartedly. "Ah, well, you had good cause to doubt my return. Only thanks to Mokuba here," and Jou gestured to the teen behind him, "I never would be here right now! When he told. me . that…"Jou trailed off, his eyes moving slowly to look behind him, only to discover Seto, Mai, and Mokuba in the doorway, having crept through the door while the others talked. "Gah!" Jou yelped, jumping into the air and practically into Yami's arms. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he yelled shrilly.

Seto chuckled, while Mai and Mokuba held their sides in silent laughter. "Su-surprise!" they gasped to everyone when they caught their breath.

Jou frowned at the three. "Y'know, it wasn't all that funny," he said, pouting.

Seto shook his head. "Oh, we're not laughing at that, though you were funny. No, we were just laughing at the expressions on everyone's face when they found you in the doorway instead of us! It was priceless!"

"I wish I had brought my camera!" Mai chimed in.

"I did!" Mokuba piped up, holding up the picture-taking apparatus.

"Oh, you'll give me copies, right?" Mai asked excitedly.

"Sure!" Mokuba acquiesced cheerfully. Under his breath he added, "It's _your_ camera."

"But going back to Yami's question," Anzu interjected, "what did make you come back?"

"Oh, well, I found out from Mokuba that Ryou and Bakura were engaged but that they were waiting for my return to get married. So naturally I had to come!" Jou replied.

Bakura, who stood to the back of the crowd of welcoming friends, upon hearing Jou's explanation, glanced over to Yami, then to his hikari, who proudly donned his Millennium Tauk. His eyes widened in revelation.

"Say Jounouchi, where are you staying?" Ryou inquired, breaking into his lover's thoughts and bringing him back to the world of the living.

Jou scratched his head in thought. "Y'know, I have no idea!"

"He's staying with us of course!" Yuugi answered, him and Shizuka standing hand in hand beside their close friend.

"No way! He's staying at my house!" argued Otogi.

Anzu and Yami stared the raven-haired man down. "He's staying at our house!" they declared.

Jou looked around in a panic, certainly not wanting to stay with Yami and his girlfriend.

"You know, he came for our wedding," Bakura began from behind. The group as one turned to see the speaker. "He came to see us get married, so it is only fitting that he come to stay at our house. And since after the wedding Ryou and I will be on our honeymoon, Jou'll have the place to himself. So, if you all don't mind, Jou, Ryou, and I are leaving now so Jou can get settled in his home. We will see you all in a few hours. And if you have any complaints, my Ring will take care of it." Bakura then led Ryou through the others to the blonde. Taking the suitcase from him, Bakura inquired about any other luggage, to which he got a negative response. With a warning flash of the Millennium Ring, Bakura, Ryou, and Jounouchi left through the front door, leaving the place in utter silence.

~*~~*~

"Welcome Bakura, Ryou, Jounouchi!" Otogi greeted, ushering them inside his semi-mansion. "You're the last three! Mokuba's bringing Kaiba and Mai later, so we can surprise them again."

"You mean make up for earlier?" Jounouchi asked.

Otogi nodded. "Well, yeah. Didn't really go the way we'd planned, if you know what I mean! Anyway, the others are in the backyard right now. Jou, would you do me a favor and pry Hiroto off the wine bottles?"

Jou raised an eyebrow at Otogi's use of Honda's first name but simply replied with a "yeah, sure", before going out back and searching for his best buddy. It only took him a moment, espying the brunette standing at the refreshment table, a wine glass in his hand. Jou shook his head and made his way over to the other man. "Hey Honda! Y'know, all you need is a obnoxious pink suit and you'd be the spitting image of Pegasus!" Honda, upon hearing Jou's remark, dropped the glass to the ground. "No, seriously, I've been gone for six years pal! I could use an update! What's been happening while I was gone?"

Honda and Jou started to walk across the lawn, the brunette talking all the while. "Well now, let's see. You left when we were fifteen. So…well, y'know, we graduated from high school and Yuugi went to college in Tokyo, but he's back because it's the summer and all. Oh, and when Shizuka graduated a year later, she moved into the game shop. Oh, you do know Yuugi's jiichan died a few years ago, right? Well, he did and-"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a sec [1]!" Jou interrupted. "Okay, just wanted to make sure I heard correctly. Shizu moved into the game shop with Yuugi?"

Honda nodded. "Yup!"

"You don't think they…that they've ever…" Jou trailed off, unwilling to finish his thought, knowing Honda would get what he was saying.

Jou was correct, as Honda nodded in comprehension and answered, "Well, they've been dating for well over six years and have both been of legal age for two. Not like that stopped Bakura and Ryou from getting some beforehand. By the way, how'd you know they'd been…you know, sleeping together? Did you walk in on them or something?"

Jou shook his head. "It was something I just…knew. I mean, I noticed Ryou and Bakura constantly looking at each other, or more like Bakura looking and Ryou blushing. It was actually rather obvious, if one took the time to watch for such things. I'm surprised I was the first one to know!"

"But how'd you know they were, you know…" Honda persisted.

"Well, when Ryou started limping it became pretty obvious, right?" Jou exclaimed.

"Yes, that makes sense. Now what I'm curious about is how'd you know?" Otogi said, popping beside the two out of the blue.

Jou's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Know what? What are you talking about?"

"Well, in your letter from six years ago you told me to tell before it was too late! How'd you know I had a crush on Hiroto?"

Jou's eyes widened in surprise. "You liked Honda? I never knew that!"

"Did you also not know that I was planning on asking Mai out the next day?" Honda asked.

Jou shook his head. "I never knew! I was only told by…" Just then the door opened and out walked Mokuba, Mai and Seto. "Kaiba!" Jou finished.

"Kaiba!" the brunette and the black haired man repeated.

"That makes sense actually," Otogi remarked. "Just a week or so before he had found out I had a crush on Hiroto!"

"Same here! I dropped my agenda and he probably saw that I was planning on asking Mai out!" Honda added.

"But why would Kaiba help us?" Otogi mused.

Jou shook his head and smiled. "I've been asking myself that question for six years and I think I finally see the answer. I mean, why would he make me the semi-CEO of the American Branch of KaibaCorps?"

Honda and Otogi looked at Jou expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, the reason he did that, and gave me the advice for Otogi, is one amethyst eyed blonde beauty, Mai Kujaku!" The three looked over to the four year couple, hands clasped together and eyes gazing lovingly into each other. "He found out that you, Honda, were planning on asking Mai out and beforehand he had learned that Otogi really liked Honda! So, why not tip you off, right Otogi? But why should you listen to Kaiba? It'd be better if it came from a friend. And Kaiba had to get rid of me because when he found out I like Ya- liked someone else, and that person not being the same sex as Mai, he realized that the two of us might pretend to be dating anyway simply so neither of us would be single. And it just wouldn't do if Kaiba was going a girl who was seemingly taken already. So he did all that just for love! Who'd of thought?"

"Yes, love does funny things to people," a voice from behind the three said. Spinning around, they came face to face with none other than Seto and Mai. "Oh, komban wa Kaiba, Mai! How are you both?"

"Fine, and you?" Seto replied amiably.

"Oh, great!"

"Never better!"

"Top form, wot!"

"Been reading _Redwall_ I see. What a surprise Jounouchi." Seto remarked.

"Hey, I ran the American Branch of KaibaCorps pretty damn well these past six years, thank you very much!" Jou retorted heatedly. "Not saying I didn't have help," he added under his breath.

"It was a joke Jounouchi! You took great care of that portion of my company!' Seto assured. "Not like it was that big of a portion anyway," he amended softly, for his ears only. "Well, talk to you later! Oh, and Jou? If you're looking for anything to read, I recommend _Gone With The Wind_. I think you'd enjoy it!"

Seto and Mai then turned and walked over to Yuugi and Shizuka. When they were out of hearing distance, Jou faced Otogi. "What happened to the 'surprise'?"

Otogi fell over, an anime sweat drop forming at the back of his head.

~*~~*~

"I feel alone, so alone. And young. So young and alone. Yup, that's me. Young and lonely Jounouchi." Jou sat at a small round table in Otogi's karaoke(sp? My Word spell check sucks) bar, elbows on the wood and chin cupped in his hands depressively.

"Shall both of us young and lonely bachelors sit together?" a voice behind the blonde asked. Jou looked over to the source of the question and was met by big grey eyes and a mess of raven hair. 

"Go ahead Mokuba. We might as well stick together, right?"

Mokuba nodded. "Yup!" he chirped as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

Jou emitted another sigh as his eyes gazed around the room at all the couples. Yuugi and Shizuka, Honda and Otogi, Bakura and Ryou, Seto and Mai, and last, but certainly not least in Jou's mind, Yami and Anzu. Everyone sat at individual tables, cuddling with their significant other. It was enough to make Jou gag. That or turn green with envy. Either way, Jou turned a shade of green. 'They look so nice and happy together. I wish I could have that with someone. I mean, look at them! They've been together for four or more years, and still in love! Of course, that means that they've definitely done it, which would make me and Mokuba the only virgins in this room. That's a kind of sad thought, come to think about it.' Jou shook his head. 'Enough with these depressing thoughts!'

Jou stood up from his seat. "Y'know, we're in a karaoke bar, so we might as well sing, right?"

"So sing Jou!" the others replied. "Sing something from America!"

Jou scratched his head. "But what?" he asked.

Seto stood up from his seat beside Mai and started towards Otogi's song collection. Jou and the others watched in curiosity as he started to flip through the songs. "Ah ha! Found it!" Seto declared as he inserted a song into the machine.

"Eh, found what?" Jou asked, walking up to the brunette.

"The song you're going to sing. Now go ahead, get moving!" Seto said with a push. Jounouchi glared at him. "Oh don't worry, it's a good song, an American oldies." Seto leaned in and whispered in Jou's ear, "You can change all the 'she's to 'he's if you want." (AN: That means that I'm giving you the version Jou will sing, with he's instead of she's. Also, I do not own the following song, Gene Pitney's 'It Hurts To Be In Love.')

Jou stepped up to the microphone and the music started to play. Almost instantly the words appeared on the screen and Jou understood why Kaiba had chosen that song. 

"It hurts to be in love when the only one you love

Turns out to be someone who's not in love with you.

It hurts to love him so when deep down inside you know

He will never want you no matter what you do."

"And so I cry a little bit.

Ah, I die a little bit.

Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."

Jounouchi was surprised to find that the lyrics were just how he felt. Each word, each syllable, Jou had felt that, still felt like that. For a moment Jou wondered whether Kaiba had planned this, or if he had simply heard it on the radio and recognized Jou's sorrow in it. Jou didn't know. But he was grateful that Kaiba had forced him to sing the song, for it gave Jou a chance to finally say how he felt, without having to worry whether Yami, or anyone else for that matter, knew who he was talking about.

"How long can I exist wanting lips I've never kissed?

He gives all his kisses to somebody else.

He thinks I'm just a friend, though it hurts I must pretend

The only way to keep him is keep 'im to myself"

"And so I cry a little bit

Ah, I die a little bit

Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."

It was the second verse that got Jounouchi choked up, making the chorus difficult to sing, tears starting to form in his eyes. Six years of bottled up love finally popped open in a rush of pent-up emotion. Jou didn't understand why he was acting like this. He loved Yami, he knew that, but he had always thought it a very silly crush, however deep it felt. So why should Jou be acting like this? His mind certainly had nothing to do with it, was it his psyche, crying out in misery from being kept from its soulmate? His heart, not being able to relieve its heavy burden of love and affection and lust?

Whatever it was, it was making it very hard for Jou to finish the song. As a good friend should, Yami jumped up ad finished the song for his best friend, surprising Jounouchi to no end.

"And so I cry a little bit.

Ah, I die a little bit. 

Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."

Maybe hearing Yami singing the words that had been resounding in Jou's heart for two thousand one hundred ninety days and more gave Jou a little false hope that Yami meant every word he sang. Maybe he had found a way to soothe his heavy heart and miserable soul. Maybe he just decided to pull himself together. Whatever it was that Jounouchi thought or did, his high tenor mixed with Yami's rich baritone in the final lines, the two voices weaving together in perfect harmony, as if made to sing together, never alone nor with anyone else.

"It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day. 

It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day. 

It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day."

Jou and Yami turned and smiled at each other and Jou felt a pressing desire to leap at the former Pharaoh and completely and totally molest him on the spot. But six years of working for Seto must have rubbed some of the famous Kaiba coldness and composure into Jounouchi, for not a single emotion of lust, passion, or love for Yami showed on his face. Jou simply shook Yami's hand, pulled him into a between-friends kind of hug, and patted him on the back, before going back to his seat at Mokuba's table.

~*~~*~

Jou had been in bed for hours, and yet had not gotten any rest. At first, Jounouchi had Bakura and Ryou to blame, for even after six years plus, their nighttime activities were as loud and passion-filled as their first time together. Of course, it could have had something to do with the fact that for Bakura's birthday Ryou had given him a nice little picture book called the _Kama Sutra_ (cookies to anyone who knows what that is!) and that Bakura had found it to be his favorite piece of literature, 'reading' it almost habitually every night.

But finally around two o'clock in the morning, Jou found the house to be quiet at last. And yet Jou still did not go to sleep, being kept up simply because he found _Gone With The Wind_ to be such a good novel. Though Jou couldn't help but notice parallels between the book and his own life. 'That Kaiba. I know he must think my life is like this book! Of course, I am Scarlett O'Hara, and Yami must be Ashley Wilkes, making Anzu Melanie Wilkes. But who in hell is Rhett Butler? Kaiba fits the bill quite nicely for that role. Of course, if memory serves me, Scarlett ends up in love with Rhett…that would mean I would end up in love with Kaiba!' Jou shuddered. 'Never mind, my life isn't _that_ similar to this book after all!'

Jou closed the book and put it beside the bed, then rolled over to get some sleep. He had stopped just before the part where Ashley Wilkes is about to leave for war once more, having visited Scarlett and Melanie for Christmas. And the events following in the upcoming days would give Jou no time to continue reading the novel. The next time he would pick up his _Gone With The Wind_, Jou would discover that maybe his life was more similar to the plot of the story than he had thought. 

~*~&~*~&~*~

[1] Just something I noticed: Besides the common phrases of, "Let's duel!", "I play this card," and "Yu-gi-oooh!", "Wait a sec," must be number four. I swear, they say it a lot! Oh, maybe not. I forgot "noooo!", which is more common than "wait a sec,", but anyways…Like, in the episode where Bakura and Malik are dueling against Marik, when Anzu wakes up she goes, "Where am I? Did I fall asleep in Bakura's room? Wait a sec…where's Bakura?" Then later, after Yuugi and Anzu searched the entire blimp for the missing white haired hottie (sorry, couldn't help but add that!), Yuugi goes, "Wait a sec!" when he remembers the _top_ of the blimp. And it's never "Wait a second," only "wait a sec,". So anyway…yeah, really random, but I thought you all ought to know. 

Rowan: Plushies to anyway who can guess what is going to happen next! Of course, you'll have had to have read _Gone With The Wind_ in order to know what I'm talking about. But plushies to all who guess! And the next chapter, which is called _Mistaken Misery_ will be dedicated to the thirtieth reviewer. That way I'll need to get 30 reviews before I write (or post) the next chapter. And sorry for the four month wait, I was busy, and needed a breather on this story. I was getting kinda bored, but now I'm interested again! So I hope to be getting positive reviews from you peeps! And one day I will reply to your reviews, I promise! Just not today! Oh yeah, Happy Belated New Year! And Jou's birthday is on the 25th of January! Happy Birthday Jou!

Jou: It's not for another two weeks, idiot.

Rowan, Well, with attitudes like that I don't see why I should update soon!

Jou: I'll tell you why you'll update soon; because it's either this or _Life's Little Treasures_, also featuring me, or _First Love_.

Rowan: _First Love_ doesn't feature you.

Jou: Eh…forget I said that.

Rowan: Please review! Though next chapter isn't the greatest, I hope you are all anxious to read it anyway. Oh, and be prepared to sign some documents.

Sincerely with love, 

Rowan and Sakura 


	9. Mistaken Misery

Rowan: Hi all! Special thanks to all who reviewed! I changed my mind, I'm dedicating this chapter to Dark Angel Penny, hieiandkuramalover, cool, and Camille because they gave me nice, helpful reviews. I do not dedicate this chapter to those people who review my story and talk about _another_ story instead of mine. Though not exactly a flame, I find it equally insulting when someone talks about another story and how it is so much better than this one. Now, I know that there are better writers out there ( I personally worship the ground Pikachumaniac walks on. She's such a great author!), but if my story is so horrible, and such and such a story/author is waay better than mine, then why bother to review. Now, the more diplomatic thing to do is say that my story/writing is good, enjoyable, and that it reminds one of such and such a story, which is incredibly well-written, or something like that. Uh…that's all I'm going to say.

Sakura: Now then, you may not like this, but we're gonna need you all to sign the following document:

I, (fill in name here), do solemnly swear to abide by the following guidelines: before, during, and after reading this chapter:

I will not curse at the authoress, Ms. Rowan Anzu Morona, and her other half, Ms. Sakura Dragona Dusdun. I will not feel any urges to murder, mutilate, torture, or inflict any other form of cruel and unusual punishment (including whipping, hanging, slicing and dicing, etc.) upon any of the characters in this story, nor the authoress. I will blame all of the events in this chapter upon a vicious muse whose absence has influenced the authoress to other means of inspiration. I will wait patiently for Chapter Ten, and not yell at the authoress to hurry with the next chapter. I will recognize the heavy workload of the authoress. I will not flame, no matter how much I want to. 

I, (fill in name here), do hereby recognize this legal and binding contract. Under no circumstances will I break any of these rules that I have hereto bound myself. I will take a deep breath, thank Takahashi Kazuki-san for all these wonderful and exciting characters which have inspired the authoress, wish everyone (the cast) a Happy St. Patrick's Day (luck o' the Irish to you all!) and begin to read the next chapter of this story.

Rowan: One last thing: Thanks to Penny for beta-reading this chapter!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shounen-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOC-ness in the story. 

****

A Love Denied

Chapter 9: Mistaken Misery

---

The next day, Ryou and Bakura woke Jou up bright and early. Because he had not fallen asleep

until four in the morning, Jou was feeling cranky and upset. At the breakfast table, Ryou inquired about Jou's bad mood.

"Jou, are you feeling alright?" the gentle man asked as he passed the blonde the butter.

Jou nodded as he groggily accepted the fattening version of margarine. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, is all."

Ryou paled and looked quickly over at Bakura, who was happily chowing away at his pancakes. "We did not disturb you, did we?" he asked, embarrassed.

Jou smiled and shook his head. "Nah, it's just jetlag. After all, I've been living in New York for six years. I've gotten pretty used to it."

Ryou leaned across the table and looked up at Jou with bright, eager eyes. "What's it like? What's it like in America?"

Jou brought his hand up to his chin in thought. "Lonely," he finally replied. 

"Lonely?"

Jou nodded. "Yeah. I mean, Domino seems like a metropolis, but compared to New York, this place is like a pig pen! So many people…so many people with so many places to go…everybody in a rush. The wind in the city practically chants in the ears of all who live there, _rush, rush, rush. Rush, hurry, rush._ It's crazy. And all I could do was think about you all, back here in Domino. Not a good way to spend six years."

Ryou nodded in comprehension as he let this knowledge sink in. "So, why did you-" Ryou was stopped by Bakura, who placed a finger to his lips and pointed to his wristwatch. "We've got our appointment in twenty minutes. Do you think you two could continue this conversation in the car?"

~*~~*~

Jou looked to his right, then to his left, then tried to see who was more likely to give. Ryou was the better bet, but because he was driving, Jou did not want to distract him. "Uh…why exactly do you guys have a car with only _two seats_?" Jou asked.

Bakura shrugged, unintentionally giving Jou some room to move. "There was only ever two of us."

Jou sighed. "I could've called for my limo you know."

Bakura and Ryou both looked over at Jou. "You have a limo!"

Jou shrugged, giving Bakura back the space he had just claimed. "Well, you guys didn't ask. Now, all I can think of to solve this lack-of-space issue is if we pull over and reassign seats."

Ryou pulled over to the side of the highway and got out, Bakura and Jou spilling out after him. "So, Jounouchi, what do you suggest?"

Jou slid into the driver's seat, and pointed at the passenger's seat on his left. "Ryou, what I suggest is that you sit on Bakura's lap, and _I_ drive."

Being completely agreeable with this plan, the two white haired males took their seat (or lap, in Ryou's case) and buckled their seatbelt. When everyone was settled in the vehicle, Jou placed his hands on the wheel and took a deep breath. "All right, where are we going?"

"The wedding planner's," Ryou replied. 

Jou blinked. "What do you need me for then?'

Ryou and Bakura both looked out the window, the former wearing a sheepish expression and the latter an apprehensive one. "Well…"

"Y'see, we were wondering if you wouldn't mind largely chipping in for the payment of the bill." 

Jou smiled reassuringly at the two of them. "Ah, guys, you didn't need to be so anxious about asking me! And you really didn't need me to be squashed in the same seat as Bakura for half the trip either. Of course I'll help pay the wedding planner's bill." Ryou smiled at Jou and Bakura smiled at Ryou's smile. Jou blushed as his friends spouted out "thank you"s to him. "Shucks. It's nothing. I figure, if Kaiba's gonna pay me big bucks, why not use it for my friends?"

"Kaiba pays you?!"

"For what?!"

~*~~*~

Jou sat patiently in the lobby, not really wanting to be part of the wedding preparations. Neither did Bakura, which would explain Shizuka's and Mai's presences at the planner's by the time the three boys arrived. The girls had eagerly taken Ryou to the back to help the clueless man with the many preparations, leaving Jounouchi and Bakura in the waiting room. Jou pulled out his newspaper and began to read, while Bakura walked around and surveyed the samples laid out. When he was finished, he took a seat beside the blonde, who had by that time reached the Classifieds ads. 

"Of all the places for me to end up in, this is not what I would have expected."

Jou looked up at the former thief. "Oh?"

Bakura looked over at Jou and half-smirked. "Six years ago, before Ryou and I had gotten together, I thought I had received the best gift ever. That of a real body to call my own. You remember that day?"

Jou nodded as he set down his newspaper. He sure remembered that day. That was the day he had fallen in love with Yami. Had it really been that long ago?

"I had thought that there was nothing in the world that could make me happier. Now, in a few months, Ryou and I are going to be married. Matrimony, bound together for all of eternity. And you know? Just sitting here, knowing that Ryou is planning our future together, I'm happier than I've ever been. And each day I spend with Ryou is better than the last, and not half as good as the next. That, Jounouchi, is love. Remember that. When it hurts to be away from that person for just one instant, yet a single minute of pure and total bliss is enough to last you a lifetime. When you would do anything for that person, even give them up to someone else, just for their own happiness. When all of that and more happens, then, my friend, you will most indefinitely have found love."

Bakura then turned in his seat and picked up a magazine, leaving Jou to mull over his profound words.

~*~~*~

  
"So, what now?" Jou asked as he, Ryou, Bakura, Mai, and Shizuka left the wedding planner's. 

"Well, we're going to home to meet Yuugi and the others for a movie or something," Shizuka replied, painfully reminding Jou that Yuugi and his sister lived in the same house and that they had definitely… uh… _you_ know. 

"Whose car did you take?" Jou asked the girls, praying for one that seated at least _three_. 

Mai smiled. "Mine, hon." The blonde smiled and pointed to a shining black limousine, which pulled up. The window rolled down to reveal Seto inside. Opening the door, he stepped out and affectionately greeted Mai. Then, turning to the others, he said, "To the Game Shop?" with such limited enthusiasm Jou just knew Seto had to be asking himself why he was going to that place two days in a row. 

Ryou looked longingly at the limo, then regretfully at his and Bakura's two-seater. Sighing, he said, "Yeah, see you there Kaiba, Mai, Shizuka, Jounouchi." He and Bakura walked over to their vehicle.

"Hey! I have an idea!"

"Well, there's something new."

Jou glared at Seto and continued, "Ryou, Bakura, why don't you two hitch a ride with Kaiba, and I'll drive your car back."

"Are you sure?"

Jou nodded. "Absolutely sure."

~*~~*~

Ideas were stupid. They really ought to be abolished. After all, what use were ideas when they landed one in such a situation as this?

Jou had been driving fairly quickly down the speedway (he really thought that it was called that for a good and logical reason; to encourage drivers to drive fast), when the right rear tire became short of breath. The car swerved, right and left, again and again, and Jou became increasingly sick. It was Jou's luck that just as the swerving car was at its peak, they came across a huge sheet of ice covering the entire roadway. The swerving became so bad, that the car started going around in circles. The car twirled around and around, right off the sight of the road. The side of the road just happened to be a steep and rather rocky hill. One that went down for quite a time, before landing in a muddy ditch. A sinking sand kind of muddy ditch, which Jou had to quickly scramble out of in order to survive. Once Jou had scrambled out of the car, he had attempted to climb back up to the road, with little success.

So, three hours later, Jou was still sitting beside the half sunken car, and had thoroughly exercised all minute, hour, and second passing activities: counting the seconds it took for an earthworm to get from one of Jou's shoes to the other (3, 842, as it turned out), seeing how many different shapes one cloud could be (nine, to be exact, but Jou was still looking), and finding out how many licks it really did take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop (none so far, as Jou didn't have a Tootsie pop handy to experiment on.) Just as Jou was about to resort to counting the blades of grass in one square inch (which would turn out to be 1, 703, 924, according to the earthworm) a car drove by.

Now, in the three hours that Jou had been sitting by the side of the road, approximately one hundred cars had gone by (not that Jou had been counting). What made this car stand out, however, was that it _stopped._ The driver stepped out of the car and shouted down to the desolate Jounouchi "Hey! Wanna ride?"

Jou nearly leapt at the chance to accept this offer, that is, until he saw whom it was, namely, Malik. Jou normally would not be prejudiced against who he hitched a ride from, but considering that this Egyptian was the very one who had taken over his mind well over six years ago, Jou felt he ought to make an exception. Standing up from where he sat, Jou shouted up to Malik, "Thanks but no thanks. I'm, ah, waiting for a friend of mine to pick me up. Sorry." 

Malik smirked down on Jounouchi. "Really? Then why's your cell phone in the mud?"

Jou looked down to where the other blonde pointed and sighed. "Damn," he whispered under his breath. To Malik he replied, "Uh, it ran out of minutes right after I called."

Malik laughed. "That's an American cell phone dimwit. You have no minutes here. C'mon, let me give you a lift. It's the least that I can do."

Jounouchi's eyes bugged out. Did this guy have a built-in telescope or something? But Malik did have a point. And besides, why would the Egyptian want to hurt Jou now? So, with a sigh, Jou climbed up the steep slope to the road and accepted Malik's offer.

~*~~*~

As the car pulled up to the game shop, Jou had just about changed his opinion of Malik altogether. Amazingly, they had spent the entire trip just talking about the past, when they had been in high school. There was an awkward period when Battle City was mentioned, but Malik immediately cleared that up by making a sincere apology for all that he had done, to Jou and to his friends, that Jou couldn't help but forgive him. After all, Malik had grown up living under the Pharaoh's shadow. Naturally he'd be bitter, right?

Not to say that Jou still wasn't wary of the Egyptian, just that he probably deserved a second chance. Unlike Jou's hatred for Kaiba, which would always exist, no matter how civil they tried to act with each other, Jounouchi felt that he and Malik could, eventually, become friends. That is, if they both worked hard at building that type of relationship.

Anyway, as the car drove up to Yuugi's shop and Jounouchi stepped out, Malik said something that would forever stick with Jou. "Jounouchi! I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but if ever you need anything, just tell me. I'll help you, simply because I want to make peace with you and your friends. If I cannot do _that_, I may never be able to _love_." With that, Malik drove off, without letting Jounouchi ask the blonde what he meant by what he said.

Stepping quietly into the shop, Jou found Yuugi, Shizuka, and everyone else assembled in the living room, sprawled across the couch and reclining on the floor. Once again, Jou noticed everyone in groups of two, painfully reminding Jou of how alone he truly was.

Sitting in front of the entire assemblage sat Yami, with Anzu in his lap. They were speaking to each other in whispers. Nodding, they seemed to be coming to some sort of conclusion. Then, before Jou was able to make his presence known, Yami and Anzu looked up at the group and spoke.

"Well, I had hoped for everyone to be here, but Anzu and I have decided that we've kept you all here for much too long." Yami began. Then, turning and smiling at the brunette beside him, Yami asked, "Do you want to tell them, or should I?"

With those words, a feeling came upon Jou, one of dread. The kind that comes right before a storm is about to break.

Anzu smiled back at Yami. Then, turning to the others, she said in excited tones, "I'm pregnant!"

"What?!"

Anzu nodded and blushed. "Also, Yami and I are getting married!" Holding up her left hand, she wiggled her ring finger in order to show off her diamond band.

Shizuka and Mai ran up to Anzu, congratulating her, as the men went over to Yami. Jou, in the back of it all, stood at the threshold of merriment a stranger who did not belong. Anzu's words still rang in his ears. " 'Yami and I are getting married!' 'I'm pregnant!'" Jou tried to force the words from his mind, but found that he couldn't. Quickly, he turned and ran out into the sudden downpour outside.

~*~~*~

Yami was shaking hands with Bakura when he heard the front door slam shut. Turning, he tried to make out the retreating figure in the rain. "I wonder who that was?" he said out loud.

"Jounouchi," Bakura replied.

Yami looked up at the former thief turned soon-to-be bridegroom. "What?"

Bakura nodded as he extracted his hand from Yami's. "Yeah, he just got here when you broke the news of your engagement."

Yami shook his head. "No, Jou wasn't supposed to find out like this! If I had known he was here…I've got to go after him!" Running, Yami grabbed his coat and bolted outside, strange, foreign words ringing in his ear.

__

"When it hurts to be away from that person for just one instant, yet a single minute of pure and total bliss is enough to last you a lifetime. When you would do anything for that person, even give them up to someone else, just for their own happiness. When all of that and more happens, then you will most indefinitely have found love."

~*~~*~

He was walking down a dark street during a rainy day, tears mingling with the water falling from above. A familiar voice called his name. "Jou! Jou, where are you?" The voice was now at the other end of the street, and coming closer to the blonde, who now recognized the voice as his beloved's: Yami. "Jou! Wait up! Jou!"

Jou tried to ignore the voice, but how could he? How could he ignore that birdsong that made his knees go weak and his stomach fill with butterflies? Yami caught up to him in no time. "Jou! Are you alright? Jou, speak to me!"

Jou turned his tearstained face to Yami. "Oh, Yami, I…"

"I'm sorry Jou! I should've known you'd react like this! We should've broken the news to you gently. Please forgive me!"

"Why?" Jou asked hoarsely. 

"You're right! Why should you forgive me? Me, a 5000 year old Pharaoh who comes and steals the girl of your dreams! If you want, I won't marry Anzu! I'll let you have her. You deserve to be with the one you love!"

Jou gave Yami a confused look. "But, Yami…"

"No buts about it! Go on, you marry Anzu. You start a family together. You deserve that! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine as long as you're happy Jou!" Yami cried over the roar of the rain.

"But Yami, I don't want to marry Anzu! I want to-"

Yami slapped his forehead. "Of course you don't want to! Why would you, when you know the child she's carrying is not yours! I'm so stupid!"

"No, Yami! You're not stupid! You're -" Jou tried to say.

"No, I'm a horrible horrible person! Jou, please forgive me! Please! And marry Anzu, I insist!"

"Yami, listen to me! I don't want to marry Anzu! I want to…" Jou was about to say, 'marry you,' but when he saw the tears in Yami's eyes and the love shining through them, he couldn't bring himself to say it. "I want to see you happy, and you're happy with Anzu. So marry her. I insist. If you don't, Anzu will be left a single mother, raising her child on her own, and we can't allow that. So you must marry her!"

Yami smiled. "Really Jou? Oh, thank you, thank you! Will you be my best man?"

"No, make Yuugi your best man."

"Okay Jou. Thank you." Yami hugged Jou for a second, a second in which Jou was able to catch a whiff of Yami's unique and special scent. Then he got up and ran through the rain back to the game shop and his future bride, leaving a heart-broken Jou in the streets all alone.

~*~~*~

Rowan: Malik's here to stay! Lalalala!

Sakura: And you are still weird! Why the hell are you singing?

Rowan: Cuz Malik's here! Yay!

Sakura: Is that a good thing?

Rowan: Yeah! Jou'll have a fellow sufferer in love.

Sakura: Oh? Care to elaborate?

Rowan: No.

Sakura: why not?

Rowan: Cuz I want people to keep reading this! Sorry for the long delay! Didn't mean to make you all wait so long! Anyways, review please! 


	10. Jealous Jounouchi

Rowan: Well, I said to myself "5 reviews and I'd write another chapter, so...anyways, on to the thank you's!

Hieiandkuramalover: backs away from computer screen Well...it's only the beginning of July...I sure hope this is soon enough... Thanks for the compliment! Poor Jou...will last for a couple more chapters, unfortunately.

Shadow-demon18b: Sorry, it's not a false alarm, and it is Yami's child. It would just be too easy if I got rid of those complications. Don't worry, though, Jou will overcome those obstacles...eventually. It'll work out in the end, I promise.

Santurion1: Yes, they will get together. I wouldn't not have them get together...unless I had said in the beginning that it was going to be one-sided YamiJounouchi.

Cool: Yes, Jou will find happiness.

Digimagic: Gee, thanks! I'm really humbled that you like my writing that much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Penny: Angel of Darkest Dreams: Oops! Sorry about that! And I do deserve that whap on my head! I am dense! Pity me! No, just joking, don't pity me. Heehee, you may get this first, but any mistakies are your fault! But I know you'll catch 'em all, so I'm not worried! Happy Reading! Ro

Rowan: I was originally going to do the following chapter in two different parts, but I decided against it, so in a way you're getting a double dose of "A Love Denied", filled to the brim with Jounouchi angst. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shounen-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story.

A Love Denied

Chapter 10: Jealous Jounouchi

---

The rain drove Jounouchi to seek shelter quickly. The blonde wasn't choosy, and so, he found himself entering a pub. It was quiet and pretty well kept for a pub. Not many people were inside, it only being 4 o-clock in the afternoon. Shrugging, Jou made his way over to the bar and slid into a seat. While he was here, he might as well drink away his sorrow, right? After all, that's what alcohol is for. So resigned, Jou waved the bartender over.

"What'll it be?" the barkeep asked.

"A beer, and keep 'em coming."

"Planning on drowning yourself in drink?" the man inquired as he filled a mug and set it in front of the desolate man sitting pitifully in his bar.

Jou replied by taking a large swig from the mug, nearly emptying it. "You bet I am," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The man nodded in understanding. He had seen many men like this one try and seek solace through alcohol, be it beer, vodka, whiskey, rum. It always ended the same: a terrible hangover the next day and an even more dank mood than before.

Those men never came back to the bar; the bartender called them his "one night strands" because for one night a man-it was usually a man- whose life was only hanging by a few sparse strands would wander into the pub and drink themselves into oblivion. They never came back, either searching out other bars or other ways to relieve their stress and pain. The barkeep got many interesting stories from these men. Unlike his "regulars", these men simply would talk their problem out. They didn't expect anything; not advice, nor understanding, simply an ear to listen to their woes, and not even that. Yes, the bartender very much enjoyed and looked forward to his "strands" customers.

Jou had just about finished his first beer. The first mug was nearly always finished off fastest, which was probably due to the fact that the customer did nothing but drink. The man behind the counter knew no juicy tidbits of a ruined life came out until at least halfway through the second mug. The man drew up another mug and set it in front of the blonde, and watched eagerly as Jou gulped it down. He looked forward to tonight's performance.

The foreign words were still ringing in Yami's ears as he reentered the game shop. Everyone was settled on the couch, waiting anxiously for his return. Anzu, the most jumpy and apprehensive of all, leapt to her feet and was standing in front of Yami in an instant, her hands clutching his. "Yami, where'd you go? Bakura told us you went out to speak with Jou, and then you didn't come back, and I got really worried!" flustered Anzu, her voice trembling as she burst into tears and buried her face in Yami's chest. Then, thinking, she glanced behind Yami. "Where's Jounouchi?" she asked.

Yami looked behind himself as well. He knew Jou hadn't followed him, but he had assumed that the blonde would return to the game shop. Obviously he had been wrong.

"I'm not sure," Yami replied.

Shizuka stood up, indignant. "You're not sure? You mean to say that my brother could still be outside in the pouring rain, Kami knows where, soaked to the bone, catching cold, and none of us are doing anything about it? It's bad enough that he just came back from America to find out that the girl he loves is taken! Now he's going to add pneumonia to the list? No, we must go find Jou!"

Everyone else, sans Kaiba, who really wasn't worried, jumped up from the couch. Oh, and Bakura, who equally felt calm and at ease. But everyone else, namely Yuugi, Mai, Mokuba, Ryou, Honda, and Otogi (oh wait, Honda was passed out on the floor due to his love of champagne and drinking it at special occasions...) leapt from their previously lax and comfortable positions and voiced their acquiescence to Shizuka's proclamation.

"Let's split up," Yuugi suggested. "Shizuka and I can go check in one part of the neighborhood, while Yami, you and Anzu should go back to where you left Jou, and start your search from their. Otogi, you and Ryou should go check by the docks. Kaiba..." Yuugi trailed off, glancing over at the taller and wealthier man nervously. Even seated, Kaiba gave off such a domineering air that Yuugi, who was nearly as tall as Jounouchi now and no longer self-conscious of his height, still felt small when pitted against the CEO.

Mai stepped in and took charge of her little party of searchers. "Seto, Mokuba and I can use the limo to search a wider range of Domino."

Yuugi smiled. "Thanks Mai. Now, who does that leave?"

All eyes turned to Bakura, who was still lounged on the couch. As all gazes fell to him, the tomb thief stood up slowly and languidly, like a cat, stretching his arms and letting out a yawn. Then, turning to Ryou, he said. "I'll be back, hikari. If Otogi gets one hair on your body harmed, let him know that I will personally see to it that he does not see another day. Take care tenshi."

Bakura walked towards the Game Shop door, everyone watching him. "Bakura, where are you going?" Ryou asked tentatively.

Bakura looked over his shoulder and smirked. "I'm going to some old hangs of mine. I'll let you know if I come up with anything." And with that, he was gone, out into the rain.

Jou was sitting in the bar, four empty beer glasses in front of him. 'Why didn't I tell him? Why couldn't I have been selfish for once? Why oh why?'

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to come face to face with Bakura. "What d'you want?" he asked, slurring his words together.

"I knew I'd find you here," Bakura replied. "Everyone's worried about you! They think you're upset by the news. They think you love Anzu. But I know better," Bakura said with a wink.

"Wha?"

"I've known since the day the Pharaoh and I got our separate bodies. I knew, because that's when I realized that I loved Ryou. That's how you knew about Ryou and I first, isn't it? Because you were in love, you could sense our love for each other too, couldn't you?"

Jou's head started to ache and he said so.

"Let's get you to the bathroom!" Bakura said, pulling Jou to the restroom and into a stall. Jou was very grateful to have Bakura there as he retched into the toilet. It was only later on that he wondered how Bakura was so familiar with the location of the bar's bathroom.

Ryou? I have news.

Ryou froze in his tracks, causing Otogi and Honda, who had been eventually coaxed awake, to turn and look quizzically at him. "Ryou? What is it?" the brunette asked.

Ryou didn't answer, his eyes glazed over as he spoke to Bakura. /What is it? What is the news?/

I've found Jounouchi. He isn't feeling very well, so I brought him back home. You might want to tell the others.

/What's wrong with him? He's not sick, is he?/ Ryou asked, concerned.

No, just a hangover. I found him at a bar and brought him home. I haven't told anyone else and I don't think Jou would want anyone else to know about his condition.

Ryou mentally nodded his head. /I understand. See you when I get home./

Aishiteru.

/Love you too./ Ryou then turned to his two friends, who were by this time very worried. "Bakura found Jou and brought him home. He's all right, just tired."

Honda and Otogi grinned foolishly at each other. "That's great!" Otogi said.

"But...where did Bakura find Jou?" he inquired.

Ryou shrugged. "He didn't say. You can ask Jou later, I suppose. I think we should tell the others first that Jou's alright, don't you think?"

The two nodded and the raven haired man pulled out his cell phone. Ryou turned and started back towards the car. 'Jou, what were you thinking?! Why did you get drunk? What is hurting you so much to drive you to do that?'

Jou's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring up at the ceiling of Bakura and Ryou's living room. Finding himself tucked under the covers of the foldable bed/couch, Jou figured he had been sleeping. But for how long? And how did he get here? Last he remembered he had been in a bar. What was he doing back here?

Sitting up, a flash of intense pain lanced through his head. "Ah, now awake, are we? Welcome to the world of the living Jounouchi," Bakura, who was sitting beside Jou on the bed, said as he pushed the blonde back down into bed. "You've got a hangover, at least you should and the best way to get rid of one is through sleep."

Jou snorted. "Like you would know."

"Actually, I do know Jou." Jou sat up and shot Bakura a confused look. In order to know what a hangover was like, one had to get drunk. In order to get drunk, one had to drink. Jounouchi couldn't fathom how Bakura could have gotten his hands on enough alcohol to become intoxicated beyond judgement and why he would want to. Sighing at the blonde's inquisitive glance, Bakura explained. "When I first acquired this body of my own, and I realized that I was in love with my former host, I was terrified. I admit it, though I faced more wretched and horrible obstacles in my previous career as a tomb thief, and even things in this era, the one thing that got me was love. I had never loved before; Ryou was, is, and always will be, my first and only love, and all the fears, the hopes and dreams that come with it came to me as well. What if Ryou didn't feel the same? What if the Pharaoh found out I had a weakness? What if he tried to use that weakness against me? I had no answers, nor solutions, to "my problem", and I had no one to turn to. So I turned to drink instead. I knew my limits, and used that to determine how drunk I wanted to become. Until one night, I let loose completely..."

Flashback (in italics)

_Bakura stumbled out of the bar, eyes red and puffy from lack of sleep. His walk was unsteady; his speech, slurred. He shuffled down the road, back to his whitewashed neighborhood, but his coordination and sense of direction were muffled, and he barely made it to the end of the block before bending over and retching into a nearby garbage can. The white haired man then slid to the side of an abandoned building, resting by the side of the road. _

_Cars drove by, their lights blinding the teenaged spirit. Then, a large black shadow loomed in front of Bakura's weakened vision. A door opened, and someone walked up to the drunk, pulling him up from his squatted position by the side of the road and flung him into a leather interior. Bakura opened his mouth to complain, but no words came out before he was engulfed in darkness. _

_The car started moving, and Bakura's stomach lurched. Before he could request a barf bag, however, a voice began to speak. "I cannot understand how you, Tomb Thief, could possibly lower yourself to the level of drunkards and scum like that. You always seemed too dignified for that. And why do you drink? Is it because you like the taste of liquor? Probably, but no. Your main motive is to drink away love. Well guess what? News flash, love does not go away like that. Love is too permanent for that._

_"You think of love as a weakness; nay, it is a strength! I have drawn upon my love for my friends and their love for me countless times. They give me strength, motivation. They are my driving force; they and their love. And here you are, drinking your love away. That is why you always lose to me, and always will. You have nobody's love to fall back on. And if you keep fighting, you never will."_

_Bakura may have been drunk, but he had enough of his capacities to glare suspiciously at the person in the car and garble out, "Who're you?"_

_The person let out a laugh, harsh and biting and victorious. That laugh was always victorious, whether he had won something or was merely laughing at a joke. "Why, it is me, Yami no Yuugi."_

End Flashback

"The next day, once I was over my hangover, I told Ryou about my feelings towards him, and found them reciprocated. And so, I never took to drink again."

Jou, who had returned to his resting position, frowned. "Yami knew about your feelings for Ryou?"

Bakura heard the underlying concern beneath Jou's seemingly innocent question.

"If he saw my feelings, why can't he feel yours?" he voiced.

Jou sat up for the third time that morning. "What?" he hissed.

Bakura smirked at the blonde. "I told you before, though you may not remember, that I have known about your feelings for Yami ever since I fell in love with Ryou. As for how Yami knew, I believe it is the same thing. Yami fell in love during the same time period, and sensed Ryou's and my love. Why he couldn't sense yours as well? Perhaps, when love involves one's self, one cannot feel it at all. 'Love is blind', is that not a popular saying nowadays? Then perhaps that is true in this case."

Bakura stood up then. "Jou, rest for a little while longer, before you've to get up. Anzu phoned earlier; she wants you to help her in her wedding preparations. Said something about catching up and what not. So around two, Ryou and I will give you a lift on our way to work. And don't you dare try and get out of it either."

Jou didn't argue. He was already asleep.

Despite Bakura's earlier instruction, Jou tried desperately to get out of visiting with Anzu. Ryou, waiting in the driver's seat of the rental car (it was a four-seater. They still hadn't found their other one. They probably never would. Oh well.), could not understand Jou's reluctance to see Anzu, or so he feigned to be confused. Finally, Bakura managed to get Jounouchi to agree to seeing Anzu and spending the day with her. Grunting, he entered the car and draped his arm around Ryou's shoulder, watching as the blonde entered after him with a defeated sigh. Ryou glanced back at Jou as well. "What was that about?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing," Jou replied with a shrug.

Ryou nodded and faced forward, starting the car up. "Nothing, perhaps, dealing with Yami, hm?" he stated nonchalantly.

Jou peered over Bakura's arm at his innocent white haired friend. "What do you mean by that?"

Ryou pulled out of the driveway and drove onto the neighborhood street. Without moving his eyes from the road, he said, "I overheard Bakura talking to you. Jou, tell me. The reason you went to America? Is it Yami?"

Jou looked over to Bakura, seeking answers, or approval to answer Ryou's question truthfully. Bakura sent a minute nod in Jou's direction. "Yes, the reason was Yami. I...wanted to get away from him."

"Because you loved him?"

"Because I love him."

"You love him even after six years?" Ryou inquired.

"Yes, I love him even now, two weeks away from his marriage to Anzu. Kinda foolish of me, eh?"

The car was sitting at a stoplight, the light flashing red. Ryou turned with an understanding and sympathetic smile to Jounouchi. "Love does that to people. They become quite foolish. Look at me, for example. Because of my love for Bakura, I am going to be foolish and marry him. Imagine that!"

"Hey!" Bakura protested. "What's foolish about marriage?"

"Binding one's self to another for all eternity? And have you seen the current divorce rate these days? All those fools, falling in love and putting up with a person for who knows how long, until it becomes unbearable!" Ryou argued, face turned to the road once more.

"Are you only 'putting up' with me?" Bakura asked quietly, unsure.

Ryou smiled at his lover. "Of course not, Bakura!" he leaned over and pecked him chastely on the cheek.

"Watch the road, baka," Bakura warned gently.

Ryou's eyes returned once more to the highway. "Jou, did you ever tell him?"

"No," Jou replied.

"Don't you think he has a right to know? Don't you owe yourself that chance as well?"

"What chance?" Jou spat bitterly. "That he could possibly-? No," Jou shook his head. "It isn't possible. He loves Anzu, and she loves him."

"Maybe he is blind," Ryou suggested, glancing and winking slyly at his yami.

"'Blind'?" Jou repeated. "How so?"

Ryou chuckled at Jou's naiveté. "Don't be ingenuous!" he exclaimed. "You know what I mean. Maybe he does return your feelings, he just doesn't know!"

"Not possible!" Jou exclaimed. "Besides, he should stay with Anzu. She can give him something I could never in a millennia do."

"And what would that be?" Bakura catechized, curious.

"Children, an heir. Anzu...she is going to give him that. The most I could do is adopt, and he wouldn't want to do that."

Ryou glanced concerned at his friend, then quickly turned his attention back to driving as he parked the car in Anzu's driveway. Bringing the car into park, he directed his entire focus on his friend. "Jou, listen to me. Love, when it's true, cancels out all obstacles. If Yami could possibly love you in return, he would not care about anything else, even children, even a family descended from his own blood. If he were concerned about that, he would not truly love you. Now, go on inside, and if you see Yami at all, tell him. For your sake. You deserve to be happy, or at best, at peace. You cannot do that as long as your carry around this secret of yours. I want you to promise me that you'll tell Yami. Promise?"

Jou nodded slowly. "All right, I promise." Jou exited the car, and Ryou backed the car out into the street.

"Have fun shopping Jou! See you at seven. We're all meeting at the Game Shop for dinner! Sayonara!"

"Bye Ryou! See ya, Bakura!" Jou waved enthusiastically to his two friends as they drove off. Ryou was right, Jou should tell, for his own happiness. What was he waiting for?

Just then, he heard a voice behind him shout, "Jou! You're here! Ready to help me plan my wedding?" Jou turned to find the source of the speaker. Anzu.

The car trip to the mall was quiet. Anzu chatted on and on about the goings on in Domino for the five years Jou had been away, but the words went in one ear and out the other. Jou gazed desolately out the window, moping and not paying Anzu an iota of attention. The brunette didn't mind though. She was perfectly happy to talk and for Jou to feign attention. Just as long as she spent time with her long absent friend. Jou, however, did not feel the same way, resenting his peppy friend and all that she represented. Yami's fiancée, the mother of his child, the comforter, the nucleus of their group of friends. Everything that Jou could resent, he did, even if it didn't affect him, even if it did not annoy or anger him.

When they reached the mall, Anzu and Jou headed straight for the bridal shop. "Let's look at the wedding gowns Jounouchi!" she said excitedly. Jou had to admit he felt himself get excited as well. Maybe helping Anzu plan her wedding wouldn't be too bad, because it was Yami's wedding as well, and Yami deserved the best. If Jou couldn't be the one exchanging vows with the duel king, then he would make sure that everything was perfect, down to Anzu's dress. She would look beautiful, Jou decided determinedly.

The two friends started skimming the dresses, looking for "the one". After twenty minutes of searching in silence, Anzu broke it by throwing a question into the air. "Jou, have you ever felt that searching for "the one" piece of clothing, like a wedding dress for an example, is harder than finding "the one" person?"

Jou shrugged. "I'm not too experienced in either clothes shopping or partner searching, but I think it's harder to get "the one" than to find them."

Anzu pondered that thought for a moment. "I don't know. I think I'd have to disagree. I mean, it didn't take too much to get Yami."

"No, you just had to get pregnant," Jou muttered bitterly under his breath.

"Pardon?"

"Uh, I said that of course you'd disagree. I mean, you barely had to work to get Yami. He's been there all the time, hasn't he?"

Anzu nodded. "True." Holding a dress to her figure, Anzu looked at Jou. "What do you think?" she asked.

Jou examined the gown. The skirt was full length, sweeping the floor with white silk. The corset was of a velvet texture, decorated with a silk ribbon on the top. Overlaying the silk bottom was a thin veil of pink, dotted with tiny white roses. The sleeves were long and sheer, of the same material as the veneer, coming down to beyond Anzu's wrist. Jou imagined a light dawn-tinted mantilla covering her face, hiding lovely blue eyes and soft, curled chestnut hair.

Smiling, he nodded. "It's lovely Anzu," he said. "You should give it a try."

Anzu beamed happily at the verdict. She glanced at the tag, and her face fell.

"Too big," she sighed unhappily.

"Look for it in a smaller size then. It's likely that they'll have it here."

They continued to look, though Anzu was throwing strange looks at her friend across from her. Jou didn't notice until a five minute period of Anzu simply staring. "What is it Anzu? Did you find anything else?"

"Jou," Anzu said, "where in America were you located?"

"I lived in New York City," Jou replied.

"Really? What was it like?"

Jou shrugged. "It's a city. People are so rushed there, they never take a time to just stare up at the stars. I always looked at the moon, every chance I got, just to assure myself that it was still there."

Anzu nodded. "Did anyone ever watch it with you?" she asked innocuously.

Jou frowned. "What do you mean?" Just as the question slipped out, Jou understood. "No, never. I had no...romantic relationships in America."

"Not for an entire six years?"

"Nope."

"So that would make you a virgin, eh blondie?" a voice spoke up from the front of the store. Turning, Anzu and Jou found themselves faced with Malik.

Jou snorted. "You should talk," he said, eyeing Malik's very sun bleached blonde hair.

Malik laughed. "So what are you girls doing in here?" he asked, sauntering over to them.

Anzu gestured to the wedding dresses. "We were just looking. What about you, Malik? What are you doing in Domino. Last I heard you were in Egypt."

"I was, but I decided to come back. Shadi and Isis were starting to bore me and so I sought out a livelier crowd. Say," Malik remarked, glancing at a clock, "how about lunch? I'm famished and the food courts should be serving luncheon about now. You're both invited, my treat."

Jou looked to Anzu, who nodded eagerly. Looking back to Malik, he shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"So, Jou...Yami told me how you took the...news," Anzu said, her eyes sliding from her salad to the blonde on her left.

The blonde on the right perked up. "What news?" he inquired.

Anzu held her hand up for Malik to see the diamond on her finger. "I'm pregnant, so Yami and I are getting married," she explained.

Malik looked away from the ring. "I knew there was a reason I didn't like the Pharaoh," he muttered.

"Pardon?" Anzu said.

Malik shook his head and waved his comment away. "Nothing for you to worry about. Now, how did Jou react to the news?" he asked, changing the subject abruptly.

Anzu looked expectantly at the CEO of the American branch of Kaiba Corps, but he did not answer. Sighing, Anzu spoke for him. "Yami and I figured...that he wouldn't take the news well. When Jou found out, he ran outside the Game Shop and Yami followed him. Yami, on some strange impulse decided to give up all claim to me and nearly demanded Jounouchi to marry me. Jou refused. It almost seems...like he doesn't want to marry me; that he never wanted me." Anzu gasped. That was it! They had been wrong all along! Jou didn't love Anzu, he loved..."Yami," Anzu whispered.

It was Malik's turn to be confused. "Pardon?" he said. "What did you say?"

Anzu ignored Malik and nearly pounced on her friend. "Jounouchi, tell me. Is the person you love Yami?"

Jou looked away from Anzu and Malik, his head nodding slightly. "You've figured me out Anzu," he whispered, his voice laced with sorrow and regret.

Anzu smiled and patted Jou's hand gently, surprising the blonde. "I can't blame you for loving him. He is quite something." Anzu stood up from the white picnic table, Jou and Malik watching her as she rose, concern for her fragile condition evident in both sets of eyes. She laughed at them. "I'm pregnant, not a china doll! I'll be back in a minute. I have to use the restroom."

As Anzu washed her hands a few minutes later, she remembered something that she had overheard at the wedding planner's. Something Bakura had said. "When it hurts to be away from that person for just one instant, yet a single minute of pure and total bliss is enough to last you a lifetime. When you would do anything for that person, even give them up to someone else, just for their own happiness. When all of that and more happens, then, my friend, you will most indefinitely have found love."

Anzu recalled Yami's account of his and Jou's confrontation. 'Yami was willing to give me up, just for Jou's happiness, and Jou refused, for Yami's happiness. If what Bakura says is true, then is it possible...could Yami love Jou and not even know it?' Anzu shook her head. 'Impossible! If Yami loved Jou, he would have realized it when Jou was in America! And besides, he's marrying me!' Anzu nodded curtly at her reflection in the mirror, as if it were she who was challenging Yami's devotions. 'Still, it is slightly suspicious, what Yami did. But whatever. I won't worry about that. And I won't tell Jou's secret, not to anyone, not even Yami. It is Jou's secret and not mine to meddle with. I hope Jou tells everyone soon though. I wonder, besides Malik, and myself who else knows?'

Meanwhile...

Malik looked sidelong at Jou. "So...you like the Pharaoh, do you?" he questioned.

Jou lifted his chin defiantly. "So I like him. What's it to you?"

Malik smiled wickedly to himself, but forgot to conceal it from Jounouchi. "Oh, nothing. Y'know, I think you should tell him."

Jou glared suspiciously at the Egyptian. "What are you plotting, Malik?"

"Nothing, I swear!" Malik held up his hands, as if to prove that he was not up to anything.

Jou shrugged and decided to drop the subject. "Do you remember when you dropped me off at the Game Shop the other day? You said that you wanted to be friends with everyone, that if you couldn't do that, you would not be able to love. What did you mean?"

It was Malik's turn to become sheepish as he looked away from Jou, in the direction of the restrooms that Anzu went to just moments before.

Jou smiled. "You like someone, don't you?" Malik nodded. "Who?" Malik shook his head, causing Jounouchi to pout. "C'mon, you know that I like Yami, so you can tell me who you love!"

"She's off limits anyway," Malik said quietly, "so what does it matter?"

Jou snorted. "Well Yami's kinda off limits too, if you know what I mean. Fine, if you won't tell me, I'll just guess. And you tell me when I get it right."

Malik nodded in agreement to these terms. "Well, it better not be Shizuka-"

"It's not."

Jou smiled. "Good! Now then...could it be Mai?"

Malik grinned. "Now if I liked Mai, I would have no chance at all! But no, it's not her."

Jou pondered the remaining candidates left. "Miho?"

"Who?"

"Never mind...I sure hope it ain't Isis-"

"That, Jounouchi, is insulting. She's my sister."

Jou nodded. "I know, I just had to check, that's all! So that leaves...Anzu?"

"What about me?" a voice asked above their heads. Jou and Malik looked up to see Anzu smiling down on them. "Well, what about me?"

Jou and Malik glanced between each other and Malik shot Jou a pleading look that told Jou two things. One, that Malik was in love with Anzu, and two, he did not want her to know. Jou quickly came up with an explanation. "We were just discussing this year's mother of the year award! We were discussing possible candidates, and your name appeared."

Anzu looked between the two men skeptically. "Riight, I believe you. Anyway, fellas, my wedding is in two weeks and I only have the caterer and the flowers! What say we go scope out some linen for the table settings, the bridesmaids' gowns and some tuxedos for you fine gentlemen? And then we can continue to look for a wedding dress! Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Malik and Jou groaned as Anzu dragged them off to the next store, fellow sufferers in shopping, fellow sufferers in love.

Rowan: I thought that was an appropriate place to end this chapter. So, we have about five chapters left! Whoo hoo! Celebrate, come on! throws confetti and dances around

Sakura: I don't know you.

Rowan: Aren't you excited?! Next chapter is the best! The start of the JouYami fluff!

Sakura, Cast, and Readers: Finally!

Rowan: Well, the next chapter takes place two weeks later, the day before Yami and Anzu's wedding. As you all probably know, there is a tradition that the bride and groom cannot see each other 24 hours prior to the wedding. In addition, it's a double wedding, which means that Yami's gonna stay the night over at Bakura's house, while Ryou will be bunking with Anzu. And why am I telling you all this?

Sakura: That's a good question. Why are you?

Rowan: To get everyone revved up for the next chapter. The title is "Canine's Confession!"

Jounouchi: What the hell! Did Kaiba tell you to name it that? I am soo going to kill him!

Rowan: smiles Actually, I named it that. Kaiba had no influence on it at all.

Jou: snorts I'm sure. Say wait a second...

Rowan: Yes?

Jou: Canine's "Confession"?! You mean I'm going to tell Yami I love him?!

Rowan: Hush, don't give the chapter away!

Jou: Oops! Review please!

Bakura: Say, there's RyouMe fluff in this chapter! Finally!

Rowan: Well, not that much. Just a peck on the cheek.

Bakura: pouts You will write more fluff.

Rowan: Well, yes that's true. But not of you.

Bakura: ring starts to glow

Rowan: Heh heh, that's what "First Love" is for!

Bakura: calms down Really?

Rowan: Yup! Which reminds me...but anyway, I'll get to that later...um, review, please! 5 more gets you Chapter 11!


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